7
+
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1985
AT PRESENT, THE GOVERNMENT HAS FIVE OVERSEAS OFFICES
(LONDON, NEW YORK, WASHINGTON, BRUSSELS AND GENEVA) AND THE INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT FOUR OVERSEAS OFFICES (SAN FRANCISCO, TOKYO, LONDON AND STUTTGART).
A RECENT APPRAISAL OF THE WORK OF THE OVERSEAS OFFICES ESTABLISHED THAT, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE LONDON OFFICE, THE OVERSEAS OFFICES ARE NOW ALMOST WHOLLY OCCUPIED IN DEALING WITH HONG KONG'S COMMERCIAL RELATIONS, AND COMBATING GROWING PROTECTIONISM IN HONG KONG'S PRINCIPAL MARKETS. THE FOUR INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT OFFICES CONTINUE TO BE EXCLUSIVELY CONCERNED WITH THE PROMOTION OF INDUSTRIAL INVESTMENT.
+THE ACTIVITIES OF THESE OFFICES ARE INTER-RELATED. IT IS THEREFORE CONSIDERED MORE APPROPRIATE FOR THE SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY TO ASSUME OVERALL RESPONSIBILITY FOR HONG KONG'S PRESENCE OVERSEAS, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
THE SPOKESMAN STRESSED THAT THE ROLE OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE IN LONDON WILL NOT BE AFFECTED BY THIS CHANGE AND THE COMMISSIONER WILL CONTINUE TO REPORT DIRECT TO THE CHIEF SECRETARY ON RELEVANT ISSUES.
JUNE NOMINAL WAGE INDEXES PUBLISHED
***
THE OVERALL NOMINAL WAGE INDEX FOR JUNE 1985, AT 126.7 INCREASED BY 6.6 PER CENT WHEN COMPARED WITH JUNE 1984 AND BY 1.4 PER CENT WHEN COMPARED WITH MARCH 1985, ACCORDING TO STATISTICS PUBLISHED TODAY BY THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT.
A COMPARISON OF THE JUNE 1985 AND JUNE 1984 INDEXES SHOWS THAT THE NOMINAL WAGE INDEX FOR THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR INCREASED BY 6.6 PER CENT, FOR BOTH THE WHOLESALE-RETAIL, IMPORT-EXPORT TRADES AND RESTAURANTS AND HOTELS SECTOR AND PERSONAL SERVICES SECTOR BY 5.4 PER CENT, FOR THE TRANSPORT SERVICES SECTOR BY 9.9 PER CENT AND FOR THE BUSINESS SERVICES SECTOR BY 8.0 PER CENT.
A COMPARISON OF THE JUNE 1985 AND MARCH 1985 INDEXES SHOWS THAT THE NOMINAL WAGE INDEX FOR THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR INCREASED BY 1.7 PER CENT, FOR BOTH THE TRANSPORT SERVICES SECTOR AND THE BUSINESS SERVICES SECTOR BY 3.0 PER CENT AND FOR THE PERSONAL SERVICES SECTOR BY 1.5 PER CENT, WHILE THAT FOR THE WHOLESALE-RETAIL, IMPORT-EXPORT TRADES AND RESTAURANTS AND HOTELS SECTOR DECREASED BY 0.2 PER CENT.
THE NOMINAL WAGE INDEXES FOR THE PERIOD JUNE 1984 TO JUNE 1985 FOR SELECTED MAJOR ECONOMIC SECTORS ARE GIVEN IN TABLE 1. DETAILED BREAKDOWNS FOR THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR ARE GIVEN IN TABLE 2.
/THE OVERALL