XN000022-1984-08-31 — Page 8

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FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 1984

+ THE TRADE DEPARTMENT HAS NOW ASSESSED THE UP-TO-DATE COSTS OF THE TEXTILES EXPORT CONTROL SYSTEM. THE TOTAL COST FOR 1984/85 IS $84 MILLION. HOWEVER, THE PRESENT SCALE OF FEES IS ESTIMATED TO YIELD AN ANNUAL REVENUE OF ABOUT $35 MILLION, OR 42 PER CENT OF THE 1984/85 COST OF THE SYSTEM, HE ADDED.

ON THE FIVE-FOLD INCREASE FROM $200 TO $1 000 FOR THE TEXTILE CONTROL REGISTRATION FEE, THE SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED THAT FIRSTLY, THIS IS AN ANNUAL FEE, AND AS SUCH IT IS NOT UNREASONABLE- SECONDLY, IT WOULD SERVE TO DETER THE SETTING UP OF FRONT COMPANIES, THAT IS, COMPANIES WHICH DO NOT CARRY ON GENUINE BUSINESS BUT ARE ONLY SET UP TO EXPLOIT THE SCHEMES FOR ALLOCATION OF FREE QUOTAS, ETC.

THE TEXTILES ADVISORY BOARD HAS STRONGLY ADVISED THAT AN IMPORT LICENCE FEE OF $20 BE INTRODUCED AS IMPORT LICENSING FOR TEXTILES 13 AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE TEXTILES EXPORT CONTROL SYSTEM AND $20 IS THE APPROXIMATE COST OF SUCH SERVICE.

THE $100 FOR NON-QUOTA EXPORT AUTHORISATIONS REPRESENT THE COST OF THIS SERVICE.

THE QUOTA TRANSFER FEE OF $100, REPLACING THE OLD FEE OF $30,

THE WAS INTRODUCED ON JUNE 1, PENDING COMPLETION OF THIS REVIEW. FEE FOR APPLICATION FOR SWING OF QUOTA INCREASING FROM 330 TO $130, WILL BE THE SAME AS FOR QUOTA TRANSFERS BECAUSE BOTH PROVIDE SIMILAR FLEXIBILITY TO THE TRADE.

+THE REVISED SCALE OF FEES WOULD RECOVER, FULLY, THE COST OF THE SYSTEM PLUS A SMALL MARGIN FOR INCREASE IN COST. IT WILL THEREFORE NOT BE NECESSARY TO ADJUST FEES AGAIN FOR AT LEAST TWO YEARS,+ THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

BETWEEN 1981/82 AND 1984/85 THE TOTAL NUMBER OF STAFF INVOLVED IN ADMINISTRATION OF THE TEXTILES CONTROL SYSTEM, HAS BEEN REDUCED BY 15 POSTS IN SPITE OF A 40 PER CENT INCREASE IN THE TOTAL NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS TO BE PROCESSED IN 1984/85 BY COMPARISON WITH 1981/82. +THIS REPRESENTS A SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENT IN PRODUCTIVITY, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

NEW ROADS FOR NEW TOWN

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THREE ROADS TO SERVE HONG KONG'S LATEST NEW TOWN AT JUNK BAY ARE TO BE BUILT ALONG THE ORIGINAL WESTERN COASTLINE OF AP TSAI PENINSULA.

ONE OF THESE ROADS, A 950-METRE-LONG DUAL TWO-LANE CARRIAGEWAY, WILL CONNECT TWO OTHERS ALREADY UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN THE AREA THE PO LAM ROAD EXTENSION AND A NEW ROAD LEADING INTO HANG HAU.

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/BRANCHING OUT