THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1985
THESE PROVIDE AN EARLY INDICATION OF THE LATEST TREND IN THE UNEMPLOYMENT AND UNDEREMPLOYMENT SITUATION. THE PROVISIONAL UNEMPLOYMENT RATE (NOT SEASONALLY ADJUSTED) FOR AUGUST-OCTOBER 1985 WAS 3.7 PER CENT, AND THE PROVISIONAL UNDEREMPLOYMENT RATE WAS 1.2 PER CENT.
HOWEVER, IT IS EXPECTED THAT THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE WILL BE LOWER AFTER SEASONAL ADJUSTMENT. THE UNADJUSTED UNEMPLOYMENT RATE FOR JULY-SEPTEMBER 1985 WAS ALSO 3.7 PER CENT.
THE UNEMPLOYMENT AND UNDEREMPLOYMENT STATISTICS WERE OBTAINED FROM A CONTINUOUS GENERAL HOUSEHOLD SURVEY (GHS) CONDUCTED BY THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT. THIS SURVEY COVERS A QUARTERLY SAMPLE OF SOME 14 000 HOUSEHOLDS OR 52 000 PERSONS, SELECTED SCIENTIFICALLY TO REPRESENT THE LAND-BASED CIVILIAN NON-INSTITUTIONAL POPULATION IN HONG KONG.
PERSONAL AND LABOUR FORCE DATA WERE OBTAINED IN THE SURVEY BY INTERVIEWING EACH INDIVIDUAL MEMBER AGED 15 AND ABOVE IN THE HOUSEHOLDS SAMPLED. IN THE SURVEY, THE DEFINITIONS USED IN MEASURING UNEMPLOYMENT AND UNDEREMPLOYMENT FOLLOW CLOSELY THOSE RECOMMENDED BY THE ILO.
THE COMMISSIONER FOR CENSUS AND STATISTICS FURTHER POINTED OUT THAT TO CONFORM TO THE LATEST STANDARDS RECOMMENDED BY THE ILO, THE GHS DEFINITIONS OF +UNEMPLOYMENT+ AND +UNDEREMPLOYMENT+ HAVE BEEN MODIFIED SINCE JANUARY 1985. HOWEVER, A COMPLETE COVERSION WILL ONLY BE INTRODUCED IN MAY 1986 WHEN A SUFFICIENTLY LONG SERIES OF THE STATISTICS UNDER THE NEW DEFINITIONS IS AVAILABLE. USING THE NEW DEFINITIONS THE SEASONALLY ADJUSTED UNEMPLOYMENT RATE FOR JULY-SEPTEMBER 1985 WAS 3.3 PER CENT, AND THE UNDEREMPLOYMENT RATE WAS 2.1 PER CENT.
DETAILED ANALYSIS OF LABOUR FORCE CHARACTERISTICS IS GIVEN IN THE REPORT ON THE GENERAL HOUSEHOLD SURVEY WHICH IS PUBLISHED FOUR TIMES A YEAR. THE NEXT REPORT, COVERING THE QUARTER ENDING SEPTEMBER 1985, SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FROM THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE THE MIDDLE OF NEXT MONTH.
PRESIDENTIAL VETO LOOMS FOR SENATE'S TEXTILE BILL
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VOTING IN THE UNITED STATES SENATE ON THE TEXTILE BILL INDICATES A GREATER LIKELIHOOD THAT ANY PRESIDENTIAL VETO COULD BE SUSTAINED, THE DIRECTOR OF TRADE, MR HAMISH MACLEOD, SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).
THE BILL WAS PASSED BY THE SENATE, 60 VOTES TO 39, AFTER DEBATE ON A NUMBER OF AMENDMENTS. IT IS NOW EXPECTED THAT A CONFERENCE STAGE WILL BE HELD AS THE SENATE VERSION DIFFERS FROM THAT PASSED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
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