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(b)
(c)
Revenue from General Rates is all credited to the General Revenue Account. This revenue then becomes an integral part of the General Revenue, like revenue from any other sources contributing to it. Money in the General Revenue Account is used to meet Government expenditure without any distinction as to source of revenue or type of expenditure; and there is no direct hypothecation of the revenue from General Rates for meeting the expenses of the Water Supplies Department. The contribution from rates to the revenue of the Water Authority, as shown in the Authority's operating accounts, is only notional income.
As explained in (b) above, once the revenue from General Rates is credited to the General Revenue Account, it becomes an integral part of the General Revenue which is used to meet all types of Government expenditure. There is no hypothecation of the revenue from General Rates for meeting any specific purposes.
Nature of assistance offered by British Embassy in Peking
Following is a question by the Hon Emily Lau and a written reply by the Secretary for Security, Mr Peter Lai, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):
Question:
In his comments on the controversy over whether beneficiaries of the British Nationality Selection Scheme can get consular protection, the Governor has reportedly stated that any British citizen going to a British Embassy or Consulate to ask for assistance, the British Government will do everything it can to help, just like what it has been doing when Hong Kong residents get into difficulty in China. Will the Administration inform this Council of:
(a)
the number of Hong Kong residents who have approached the British Embassy in Peking for assistance since 4 June 1989;
(b)
the number of people in (a) above who have been provided with assistance and the nature of such assistance; and
(c)
the number of people in (a) above whose requests for assistance have been refused and the reasons for refusal?