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INDUSTRY AND TRADE
activities of international institutions concerned with trade, and collects, analyses and presents information on these matters for the benefit of merchants and manufacturers. The division also provides liaison between industry and other government departments, an- swers trade and industrial enquiries from overseas, and deals with specific industrial problems as and when they arise.
The Export Promotion Division is responsible for executing the programme of trade promotional activities undertaken with public funds on the advice of the Trade and Industry Advisory Board. It administers a display centre in the Hong Kong City Hall, mediates in commercial disputes, and arranges for the reception of overseas trade missions and business visitors. The division publishes and distributes the annual Commerce, Industry and Finance Directory and the Trade Bulletin, and publishes or assists in the preparation of other trade promotional literature from time to time. During the year it was particularly concerned with the preparatory work required to set up the independent statutory organization to take over responsibility for export promotion referred to above.
The Textile and Certification Division is concerned with the calculation and allocation of quotas for markets restricted because of the operation of the Long-Term Cotton Textile Arrangement and for their control through export licensing. It operates certi- fication of origin and Commonwealth preference procedures. The establishment of a new industry inspection service was approved during the year. It will take over responsibility for enforcing trade controls and for inspecting factories and goods in connexion with the export of Hong Kong products under certification of origin and Commonwealth preference certificates.
The Controls Division deals with trade licences, other than for textiles, and with dutiable commodities. It administers the Pre- ventive Service, which is a uniformed and disciplined service with powers similar to those normally exercised by customs and excise services for the protection of revenue. The part played by the Preventive Service in the control of narcotics traffic is described in chapter 10. The Chief Preventive Officer commands a service of eight gazetted officers, 189 inspectors and 381 rank and file.
The Statistical Branch publishes monthly commodity-by-country trade statistics compiled from declarations filed with the department