6
"We will invite the organisations we are consulting to attend two seminars to be held on November 14 and 16 on the draft Bill," the spokesman said.
"The Government plans to introduce the Bill into the Legislative Council in February 1997. The Bill has been accorded priority by the Government for enactment before July 1997," he added.
The consultation document in English and Chinese, together with a draft of the
on the INTERNET
Bill
in
English, http://www.houston.com.hk/hkgipd/consult.html.
can
be
obtained
at
End
Gross domestic product for the second quarter released
Hong Kong's gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 4.3% in real terms in the second quarter of 1996 over the same quarter in 1995, following an increase of 3.3% in the first quarter.
The preliminary estimates for the GDP for the second quarter of 1996 were released today (Monday) by the Census and Statistics Department. Revised estimates of GDP and its components for the first quarter of 1996 and earlier periods were also released today.
Amongst the major GDP components, re-exports registered a year-on-year growth rate of 6.5% in real terms in the second quarter of 1996 over a year earlier, following a 7.5% growth in the first quarter. On the other hand, domestic exports decreased by 9% in real terms in the second quarter, after a 7.4% decline in the first quarter.
Imports of goods decelerated further from a 5.2% growth in real terms in the first quarter to 2.2% in the second quarter. This was attributable partly to the slowdown in re-export growth and partly to inventory adjustment leading to a marked slowdown in retained import growth.
Exports of services grew by 5.2% in real terms in the second quarter of 1996 over a year earlier, following an increase of 9.5% in the first quarter.
A government spokesman said that while tourism continued to sustain a robust growth, offshore trading slowed down in the second quarter after a strong increase in the first quarter.