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Transcript of Financial Secretary's media session
Following is the transcript of the media session by the Financial Secretary, Sir Hamish Macleod, after the Legislative Council meeting today (Wednesday):
I have two reasons for being happy this afternoon. The first, of course, is the Budget Appropriation Bill has gone through with a very healthy 48-1 vote, so that is extremely pleasing. Secondly, the important question of the Expert Talks on the Transitional Budget; it's good news that they have now resolved whatever problems they had about defining the scope of the talks and that is going ahead, as planned, tomorrow. So, Donald Tsang and his team will be travelling up and those talks will take place tomorrow.
I know that on our side, we've done a lot of detailed preparation and so I hope that those talks can get off to a good start tomorrow and we will then be entering into quite a long process, obviously, right up to the transitional Budget, of talking in that group of experts, so I look forward to that being a success too.
QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION
Question: What was the problem and how was it resolved?
FS: The problem, I believe, was to do with the scope of the talks, although the scope of the talks had been, we thought, clear for a very long time. But anyway, there were some discussion of the wording but that has now been resolved. There will be an official announcement, I believe, by the JLG Officers with the precise wording of the announcement but basically, they are going to discuss the transitional budget and related matters.
Question: So is (inaudible) the 1997-98 Budget or the 1996-97 Budget?