XN000022-1986-11-18 — Page 12

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1986

IN THE SURVEY, PARTICIPATING FIRMS WERE ASKED TO INDICATE WHETHER IN THEIR OPINION, THE GENERAL BUSINESS SITUATION AND LEVEL OF CAPACITY UTILISATION HAD +IMPROVED+, +REMAINED THE SAME+ OR + DETERIORATED+ IN THE QUARTER JUST ENDED AS COMPARED WITH THE PRECEDING QUARTER.

FOR THE FORTHCOMING QUARTER. THEY WERE ALSO ASKED TO INDICATE WHETHER THE SITUATION WOULD IMPROVE+, +REMAIN THE SAME + OR +DETERIORATE+.

THE BALANCE OF OPINIONS OF RESPONDENTS WERE TABULATED AND ANALYSED.

THE SURVEY REPORT CONTAINS A SECTION ON THE BUSINESS PROBLEMS EXPERIENCED AND EXPECTED BY FIRMS IN DIFFERENT ECONOMIC SECTORS AND A BREAKDOWN OF THE VIEWS OF FIRMS BY SIZE GROUPS.

THE DEPARTMENT CAUTIONED THAT, IN A SURVEY OF THIS NATURE, THE RESULTS SHOULD BE INTERPRETED WITH CARE AS IT IS DIFFICULT TO ESTABLISH PRECISELY THE EXTENT TO WHICH RESPONDENTS' PERCEPTION OF THE PAST AND THE FUTURE ACCORDS WITH THE UNDERLYING TRENDS.

COPIES OF THE REPORT, CONTAINING AN ANALYSIS OF THE SURVEY FINDINGS AND STATISTICAL TABLES, HAVE BEEN DISTRIBUTED TO FIRMS TAKING PART IN THE SURVEY AND TO OTHER BUSINESS ORGANISATIONS. MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC MAY OBTAIN COPIES FROM THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE, GENERAL POST OFFICE BUILDING, AT $3 PER COPY.

FURTHER DETAILS OF THE QUARTERLY BUSINESS SURVEY MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE NATIONAL INCOME BRANCH OF THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT AT 5-423401.

EIGHT TO SPEAK IN LEGCO ON INDUSTRIAL SAFETY

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EIGHT MEMBERS WILL SPEAK IN AN ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON INDUSTRIAL

THE SAFETY IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TOMORROW (WEDNESDAY). SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, THE HON RON BRIDGE, WILL WIND UP THE DEBATE.

DURING THE MEETING, FOUR BILLS AND ONE MOTION WILL BE INTRODUCED AND NINE QUESTIONS WILL BE ASKED. DEBATE WILL RESUME ON THREE OTHER BILLS.

IN ADDITION, THE ACTING CHIEF

SECRETARY, THE HON PIERS JACOBS,

WILL MAKE A STATEMENT ON THE SCOPE OF GOVERNMENT AUDIT.

J

MR JACOBS, IN HIS CAPACITY AS FINANCIAL SECRETARY, WILL THEN MAKE A STATEMENT ON CHANGES TO THE APPROVED ESTIMATES OF EXPENDITURE FOR THE 1986-87 SECOND QUARTER.

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