XN000022-1980-02-27 — Page 13

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1980

ON THE SERVICE FOR PROVIDING CERTIFIED COPIES OR EXTRACTS OF BUSINESS REGISTRATION DOCUMENTS, SIR PHILIP NOTED THAT IN RECENT YEARS, THERE HAS BEEN A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF REQUESTS FOR SUCH SERVICE WHICH, UNDER THE

PROVISIONS OF THE BUSINESS REGISTRATION ORDINANCE, ANY PERSON MAY REQUIRE THE COMMISSIONER OF INLAND REVENUE TO PROVIDE ON PAYMENT OF THE PRESCRIBED FEE.

IN 1978-79, THE BUSINESS REGISTRATION OFFICE ISSUED OVER 92 000 CERTIFIED COPIES OR EXTRACTS OF BUSINESS REGISTRATION DOCUMENTS AND, CURRENTLY, REQUESTS ARE BEING RECEIVED AT THE RATE OF 2 000 A WEEK.

HE SAID: +CERTIFIED COPIES OR EXTRACTS ARE SOUGHT FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS, BUT USUALLY RELATE TO A DESIRE TO ASCERTA IN THE IDENTITY OF THE PROPRIETORS OF A BUSINESS WITH WHOM A TRANSACTION IS INTENDED.

+1 AM NOT SATISFIED THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS BEING ADEQUATELY RECOMPENSED FOR THE EFFORT INVOLVED IN PROVIDING THESE CERTIFIED COPIES OR EXTRACTS BY THE PRESCRIBED FEE OF $15 AND SO I PROPOSE THAT THE FEE SHOULD BE DOUBLED TO $30 BRINGING IN EXTRA REVENUE OF $1.5 MILLION A YEAR.+

REVALUATION OF RATEABLE VALUES ABANDONED

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THE REVALUATION EXERCISE FOR THIS YEAR WITH A VIEW TO BRINGING NEW LISTS OF RATEABLE VALUES INTO EFFECT ON APRIL 1, 1981 HAS BEEN ABANDONED AND THE RATE PERCENTAGE CHARGE FOR 1980-81 WILL REMAIN UNCHANGED.

THIS WAS REVEALED BY THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, THE HON SIR PHILIP HADDON-CAVE WHO ALSO ANNOUNCED THAT AN EXERCISE TO UPDATE ASSESSABLE VALUES FOR PROPERTY TAX HAS BEEN POSTPONED.

HOWEVER HE GAVE DUE NOTICE OF MY INTENTION TO CONSIDER AN INCREASE IN THE GENERAL RATE PERCENTAGE FOR 1981-82.+

SIR PHILIP GAVE THREE REASONS FOR THE ABANDONMENT OF THE REVALUATION EXERCISE FOR THE TIME BEING AS FOLLOWS:

* THE COMMISSIONER OF RATING AND VALUATION HAS HAD TO DIVERT EXPERIENCED PROFESSIONAL AND TECHNICAL STAFF TO RENT CONTROL WORK AS A RESULT OF THE RECENT DECISION TO EXTEND RENT CONTROLS TO ALL DOMESTIC ACCOMMODATION AS PROVIDED FOR IN THE NEW RENT CONTROL ORDINANCE-

* RATEABLE VALUES BY LAW HAVE TO BE RELATED TO UNAFFECTED MARKET RENTS. AS A RESULT OF THE

IMPOSITION OF BLANKET RENT CONTROLS, THERE IS NOW UNLIKELY TO BE SUFFICIENT USABLE DATA TO PROVIDE A SOUND BASIS FOR UPDATING RATEABLE VALUES OF DOMESTIC PREMISES- AND

SUCH