Replies to initial written questions raised by Finance Committee Members in examining the Estimates of Expenditure 2012-13 Director of Bureau : Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Session No. 12 File name : cedb(cit)- doc
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- Examination of Estimates of Expenditure 2012-13
Question : Regarding the key performance measures, the Trade and Industry Department (TID) can meet the 100% target in general. In this case, would the Administration consider shortening the time under the performance pledges so as to provide more efficient services? If yes, what are the details? If not, what are the reasons? Asked by : Hon. TAM Wai-ho, Samson Reply : The performance pledges of the Trade and Industry Department (TID) are made on the basis of actual operations and experience, and also the manpower establishment for the respective work. The performance pledges will be reviewed by TID every year. For example, the performance pledge for processing the registration for importers of cereals and grain flour from the Mainland has been reduced from seven calendar days in 2011 to four working days in 2012. TID will continue to improve its services taking into account the actual situation.
Question : (a) Please advise this Committee in detail the amount anticipated to be allocated under the dedicated fund with a duration of five years; (b) Please advise the amount of dedicated fund estimated for : (i) supporting Hong Kong enterprises to develop their brands (ii) restructuring and upgrading and promoting domestic sales Asked by: Hon. TONG Ka-wah, Ronny Reply: To support Hong Kong enterprises, in particular small and medium enterprises, to capture the opportunities arising from the National 12th Five-Year Plan, the Chief Executive announced in the 2011-12 Policy Address a proposal to set up a dedicated fund of $1 billion to encourage them to move up the value chain and explore and develop the Mainland market through developing brands, restructuring and upgrading their operations and promoting domestic sales in the Mainland. The fund would comprise two parts: (i) to provide funding support to individual Hong Kong companies to assist them in undertaking projects to develop brands, upgrade and restructure their business operations and promote sales in the Mainland market, so as to enhance their competitiveness and facilitate their business development in the Mainland market; and (ii) to provide funding support to non-profit-distributing organisations for them to undertake large-scale projects which aim to assist Hong Kong enterprises in general or in specific sectors to develop brands, upgrade and restructure business operations and promote sales in the Mainland market, so as to enhance their competitiveness in the Mainland market. According to our current thinking, projects which focus on one or more areas of branding, upgrading and restructuring, and promoting domestic sales will be eligible to apply for the fund. To increase the flexibility of the use of the fund, the Government has no plan at this stage to set separate funding ceilings for each of these three areas. We have consulted the trade earlier and are finalising the operation details of the fund. We plan to seek funding approval from the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council in April with a view to launching the fund by mid 2012.
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