| Examination of Estimates of Expenditure 2010-11 |
Reply Serial No.
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CONTROLLING OFFICER’S REPLY TO
INITIAL WRITTEN QUESTION
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CEDB(CIT)036
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Question Serial No.
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2588
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Head :
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152 – Government Secretariat:
Commerce and Economic
Development Bureau
(Commerce, Industry and
Tourism Branch)
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Subhead (No. & title) :
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Programme :
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(7) Subvention: Hong Kong Tourism Board
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Controlling Officer :
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Permanent Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development (Commerce, Industry and Tourism)
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Director of Bureau :
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Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development
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Question :
Regarding the production of a dedicated Art Guide for visitors, please provide the following information:
(a) the attractions to be covered in the Art Guide; and
(b) the lead time for producing the Art Guide, the number of copies to be printed and the expenditure involved.
Asked by : Hon. IP Wai-ming
Reply :
(a) To facilitate visitors to explore Hong Kong’s arts and cultural attractions, the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) is working on the production of a “Hong Kong culture and art guidebook”. The guidebook will feature an array of arts and cultural venues such as galleries, museums, workshops and historic buildings in tourist districts, including Sai Wan, Sheung Wan, Central, Wan Chai, Tsim Sha Tsui and Yau Ma Tei. It will also introduce the major arts and cultural events staged in Hong Kong each year, such as the Hong Kong Arts Festival, Hong Kong International Film Festival, Hong Kong International Art Fair, etc.
(b) The production of the “Hong Kong culture and art guidebook” will take about six months, and is near completion. The guidebook will be launched in end March this year. Initially, 20,000 copies will be printed for distribution to visitors in town and overseas. In the light of visitors’ feedback, the HKTB will consider increasing the quantity if necessary. The content of the guidebook will also be uploaded onto the HKTB’s website for viewing by both the locals and visitors. The production cost of the guidebook is about $600,000.
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Signature
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Name in block letters
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MISS YVONNE CHOI
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Post Title
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Permanent Secretary for
Commerce and Economic Development
(Commerce, Industry and Tourism)
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Date
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18.3.2010
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| Examination of Estimates of Expenditure 2010-11 |
Reply Serial No.
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|
CONTROLLING OFFICER’S REPLY TO
INITIAL WRITTEN QUESTION
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CEDB(CIT)037
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|
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Question Serial No.
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0295
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Head :
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Head 152 - Government Secretariat: Commerce and Economic Development Bureau (Commerce, Industry and Tourism Branch)
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Subhead (No. & title) :
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Programme :
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(2) Commerce and Industry
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Controlling Officer :
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Permanent Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development (Commerce, Industry and Tourism )
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Director of Bureau :
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Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development
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Question :
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The Commerce and Economic Development Bureau states that it will continue to monitor and review the operation of the SME Funding Schemes and the Special Loan Guarantee Scheme during 2010-11. Please advise:
a. the number of applications and the loan amounts in respect of the two Schemes as at March 2010.
b. by what time at the latest the Administration will decide whether to extend the Special Loan Guarantee Scheme, given that the Scheme is scheduled to end in June this year.
c. whether the Scheme will be further extended for 6 months or one year, and if so, the estimated expenditure thus involved.
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Asked by : Hon Lam Kin-fung, Jeffrey
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Reply :
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(a) The Special Loan Guarantee Scheme (SpGS) has come into operation since 15 December 2008. As at the end of February 2010, the Trade and Industry Department (TID) has received 30 896 applications, of which 28 533 have been approved involving a total loan amount of over $69 billion. As for the on-going SME Loan Guarantee Scheme, from the commencement of the scheme in December 2001 till the end of February 2010, TID has received 24 505 applications, of which 22 200 have been approved involving a total loan amount of $29.2 billion.
(b) and (c)
SpGS is an exceptional measure which aims to assist Hong Kong enterprises in coping with the global financial crisis. It is a time-limited scheme. The application period has been extended twice till the end of June this year. We will closely monitor the pace of economic recovery in the coming months and decide when to let the credit market resume normal operation.
As SpGS is market-driven, the amount of loan and expenditure involved will depend on the demand for loans and the number of default cases.
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Signature
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Name in block letters
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MISS YVONNE CHOI
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Post Title
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Permanent Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development
(Commerce, Industry and Tourism )
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Date
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18.3.2010
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