WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1980
10
MR DAVIES WAS REPLYING IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TO THE HON CHAN KAM-CHUEN WHO ASKED WHETHER THE GOVERNMENT WOULD CONSIDER COMPILING A CENTRAL REGISTER OF LOST ID CARDS SO THAT POLICE OFFICERS ON ID CHECKING DUTIES COULD CHECK SUSPECT CARDS BY MEANS OF THEIR BEAT RADIOS,
+WITH THE MANUAL RECORD SYSTEM IN USE IN THE REGISTRATION OF PERSONS OFFICE AN ARRANGEMENT OF THE TYPE PROPOSED CANNOT BE INTRODUCED, + MR DAVIES SAID.
+A RECORD OF REPORTED LOSSES OF IDENTITY CARDS IS MAINTAINED AND AN INFORMATION SECTION DEALS WITH POLICE ENQUIRIES CONCERNING THE REGISTERED PARTICULARS OF IDENTITY CARD HOLDERS. THESE ENQUIRIES TAKE TIME TO HANDLE AND SO THE USE OF BEAT RADIOS WOULD DE INAPPROPRIATE, HE EXPLAINED.
IN REPLY TO ANOTHER QUESTION BY MR CHAN ON WHETHER THE GOVERNMENT WOULD CONSIDER ADDING MORE ANTI-FORGERY FEATURES TO ID CARDS BY, FOR EXAMPLE, ADDING THE HOLDER'S SIGNATURE AND PRINTED SERIAL NUMBERS. MR DAVIES SAID THIS WOULD BE DONE BUT ONLY AS NEW OR REPLACEMENT CARDS WERE ISSUED.
HE SAID A NUMBER OF ADDITIONAL SECURITY FEATURES WERE BEING CONSIDERED BUT HE DID NOT PROPOSE TO MAKE THE DETAILS PUBLIC.
CONTINUED GROWTH OF EXPORT CREDIT INSURANCE BUSINESS
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THE BUSINESS OF THE HK EXPORT CREDIT INSURANCE CORPORATION IN 1979/80 CONTINUED TO GROW, WITH THE VALUE OF EXPORTS INSURED AT $3 380 MILLION AND PREMIUM INCOME AT $16.3 MILLION, EACH
INCREASED BY 36 PER CENT OVER THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
THIS WAS DISCLOSED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL BY THE SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES, THE HON DAVID JEAFFRESON, AT THE TABLING OF THE CORPORATION'S LATEST ANNUAL REPORT TODAY.
MR JEAFFRESON POINTED OUT THAT THE NUMBER OF CURRENT POLICIES STOOD AT 1 103, COMPARED WITH 1 041 LAST YEAR. INSURED EXPORTS FORMED ABOUT 5.7 PER CENT OF THE VALUE OF TOTAL EXPORTS, CLOSE TO THE PERCENTAGE FOR THE PREVIOUS FINANCIAL YEAR. WITH THE INCREASE
IN BUSINESS, LIABILITY NOW STANDS AT $1 951 MILLION. IN MAY THIS YEAR, THE LÉGISLATIVE COUNCIL AGREED TO INCREASE THE GOVERNMENT'S GUARANTEE TO $2 500 MILLION.
+AS IN PREVIOUS YEARS, AND CONSISTENT WITH THE CHARACTERISTICS OF HONG KONG'S DOMESTIC EXPORTS, CLOTHING CONTINUED TO BE THE MOST SIGNIFICANT PRODUCT THE CORPORATION COVERED, IN TERMS OF VALUE REPRESENTING 37 PER CENT OF EXPORTS INSURED.
+SIMILARLY, THE UNITED KINGDOM CONTINUED TO BE THE LARGEST MARKET COVERED, WITH 34 PER CENT OF THE TOTAL.
+EXPORTS TO THE EEC AS A WHOLE ACCOUNTED FOR 61 PER CENT OF EXPORTS INSURED BY THE CORPORATION.
/+THERE WERE