Minister of Social Affairs Majed Al-Qasabi said that the ministry is doing finishing touches to the new law to combat beggary and the law for the elderly people. "Studies with regard to these laws will be completed soon. A total of 21,000 beggars have been arrested during the last Hijri year, and Saudis made up nine percent of them," he said. The minister made the remarks while addressing the Shoura Council on Monday. The Council President Sheikh Abdullah Al-Asheikh chaired the session, the Saudi Press Agency reported. Al-Qasabi briefed the Council on the ministry's various plans and programs for the benefit of all segments of the Saudi society, especially the weaker sections, as well as its future plans. Dr. Hamda Al-Enzi, chairperson of the committee for the social, family and youth affairs at the Council, drew the minister's attention to around 160 questions submitted by the citizens to the Council so as to be answered by the minister. Replying to the questions, Al-Qasabi announced plans to establish a Council for Women and Children with the objective of addressing myriad problems faced by them. He also unveiled plans to transfer the services being extended to housemaids from the ministry to the Ministry of Labor. "Nearly 96 percent of the loans extended by the Saudi Credit and Saving Bank during the past 11 months went to the social support sector and the loans amounted to a total of more than SR11.5 billion," he said. According to Al-Qasabi, the ministry has opened an email account to receive the viewpoints and queries from the Shoura members.
