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 : The estimate for the Office increases by $4.9 million (69%) due to the provision required for filling the position of Under Secretary and the creation of the position of Political Assistant. When will the recruitment exercise start? What is the estimated expenditure for this item? Asked by : Hon. WONG Ting-kwong Reply : It has been the Government’s position that if there are suitable candidates identified, the positions will be filled. In 2012-13, the salary provisions temporarily earmarked for the positions of Under Secretary and the Political Assistant are $2.54 million and $1.86 million respectively.
Question : With respect to the implementation details of the five-year dedicated fund, will the Bureau communicate with stakeholders in the industry and listen to their views? Please provide a breakdown of the estimated annual expenditure. The figures should indicate if any amount is to be spent on consultancy service or promotion work as well, resulting in a reduction of the fund to be obtained by the business sector through application? Asked by : Hon. WONG Ting-kwong Reply : To support Hong Kong enterprises, in particular the small and medium enterprises (SMEs), 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. 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. The amount of estimated annual expenditure would depend on a basket of factors, including the number of applications to be received from companies and organisations and the amounts involved, the publicity and promotion activities to be held and other necessary administrative costs, etc. We are working out the relevant estimates and would include them in our submission to the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council.
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