-
39
-
(b)
As can be seen from the table, there are three types of VIP visits arranged by the Department: (i) fully-sponsored visits where the visitors are invited to Hong Kong by the Government and all expenditure relating to airfares, hotel accommodation, meals and land transport is met by the Government; (ii) partially-sponsored visits where the VIPS visit Hong Kong for their own purposes and are invited to extend their visits by a few days to undertake a Government programme. Hotel accommodation, meals and land transport of these visits are paid for by the Government; and (iii) programme-only visits where the Government simply arranges a programme of visits and meetings for the visitors and thus the Government expenditure is minimal.
Since mid-1994, it has been the practice to ask the Legislative Council Secretariat to arrange a meeting with representatives of as wide a range of political parties as possible and individual independent Members for each fully-sponsored visitor, as well as for visitors in the other two categories who may request such meetings. Prior to this time, meetings were arranged for all British MPs and other VIPs who indicated an interest to meet Members.
The total expenditure incurred by Government in respect of all fully- sponsored, partially-sponsored and programme-only visitors in the past three years is as follows:
(c)
1992/93
1993/94
1994/95
1.4.95-31.12.95
$2.53m
$2.54m
$3.46m
$3.15m
It is not practicable for the Hong Kong Government to monitor and record every occasion on which VIP visitors make their home governments aware of developments in Hong Kong. Nevertheless, feedback from Government's overseas Economic and Trade Offices (ETOS) indicates that many VIPs do, indeed, use their newly-acquired knowledge of Hong Kong when taking part in debates involving the territory or in other ways pertaining to their own professional backgrounds. (Not all VIP visitors are politicians : Government also targets senior officials, business people, academics and think-tank personnel.)