-28population problem (and thereby contributing to the sustainability of our social security system), it is a counter-productive and irrational measure. 74. The evidence regarding social security payments to the elderly also belies any rational connection between the new restriction and the Government’s avowed aim of ensuring sustainability. The seven-year restriction does not affect all elderly CSSA recipients, but only new arrivals who are elderly. Such persons constitute only a small proportion of all new arrivals. The elderly are given a relatively low priority and thus are allotted a small sub-quota under the OWP scheme. Thus, the Task Force Report70 states that the 150 daily quota was allocated according to the following sub-quotas: 60 for children with Certificates of Entitlement; 30 for spouses separated for over 10 years; 60 for persons in all other categories, including spouses separated under 10 years; unsupported children coming to join relatives in Hong Kong; persons coming to Hong Kong to take care of their unsupported aged parents; unsupported elderly people coming to join relatives in Hong Kong and persons coming to Hong Kong to inherit legacies. 75. Of the relatively few elderly persons who do enter under the OWP scheme, only a small proportion71 receive CSSA and Old Age Allowance. And even before the seven-year requirement was introduced on 1 January 2004, there was already in place a stringent requirement in respect of Old Age Allowance: to be eligible, a person had to have resided in Hong Kong for not less than five years since attaining the age of 60.72 It follows that savings to CSSA expenditure that could be achieved by raising the requirement to seven 70 At §5.4. 71 Of 69,345 new arrival CSSA recipients as at the end of December 2002, 6.8% were aged 60 and above: Mr Cheung’s Affirmation, §53. 72 LC Paper No CB(2)1401/02-03(03), §28 for discussion 10 March 2003. It is paid to persons aged 65 – 69 subject to a means test, and to persons aged 70 and above without means testing. Legco Brief HWF CR/3/4821/99(03) Pt 7, §6.