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Average payroll per person engaged in the transport, storage and communications sector showed an increase of 8.8% in nominal terms or 2.6% in real
terms.
Average payroll per person engaged in the financing, insurance, real estate and business services sector recorded an increase of 10.5% in nominal terms or 4.2% in real terms. Earnings in this sector was boosted in part by the issue of more bonuses to the employees concerned.
As for the community, social and personal services sector, average payroll per person engaged recorded an increase of 9.8% in nominal terms or 3.6% in real terms.
Changes in the indices of payroll per person engaged between the fourth quarter of 1995 and the fourth quarter of 1996 for selected industry sectors, in both nominal and real terms, are shown in the attached table.
Statistics on average payroll per person engaged are compiled at quarterly intervals based on the results of the Labour Earnings Survey conducted by the Census and Statistics Department. Wage indices are also compiled from the same survey at half-yearly intervals for March and September of the year.
Average payroll includes wages as well as all other irregular receipts such as bonuses and overtime allowances. Statistics on average payroll tend to show relatively larger quarter-to-quarter changes, affected by the number of hours actually worked and the timing of payment of bonuses and back-pay.
Detailed breakdowns of the above statistics are published in the "Quarterly Report of Employment, Vacancies and Payroll Statistics, December 1996". The report will be available shortly at $42 per copy (exclusive of postage) at the Government Publications Centre, Queensway Government Offices, Low Block, Ground Floor, 66 Queensway, Hong Kong and at the Publications Unit of Census and Statistics. Department, 19/F., Wanchai Tower, 12 Harbour Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong.
For enquiries about the indices of payroll per person engaged, please contact the Census and Statistics Department at telephone number 2582 5076.