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Government undertakes pro-business pilot projects
The Secretary for the Treasury, Mr K C Kwong, today (Wednesday) told the Legislative Council at the Budget debate that the newly formed Task Force on Helping Business chaired by him was determined to ensure that the Government would play a positive and proactive role in making Hong Kong a place for business to thrive.
He said that the Task Force planned to undertake several pilot projects which would examine the present methods of payment and collection by Government for business transactions, the possibility of placing Government forms on the Internet, the feasibility of establishing a one-stop business licence information centre and the ways and means of improving the processing of land exchanges, lease modifications and the re'ated premium assessment and appeal procedures.
"We will also examine if we could provide an up-to-date Hong Kong Background Facts service to the business sector. In addition, there will be two departmental studies of the regulatory activities of the Marine Department and the Trade Department," Mr Kwong added.
Following is the full text of Mr Kwong's speech:
Mr President,
I have listened very carefully to the views expressed by Members both at the special Finance Committee meetings and on the resumption of the Second Reading of the Appropriation Bill. I have noted in particular the concerns raised about the application of some of our budgetary principles. I believe that it is important that Members have a full understanding of both our philosophy and practice as set out in the Budget. So I will try to address this in some detail today.
Expenditure Guidelines
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Let me start with something fundamental to the entire budgetary process the expenditure guidelines that we have adopted to keep government expenditure under control. I am pleased to note that most Members of this Council and the community are very supportive of the principle underlying that guideline, namely that we should live within our means. I shall try to elaborate on the application of the guideline, and hopefully lay to rest any fears that our application of it is somehow not consistent with the principle.