XN000022-1992-03-05 — Page 15

QUESTION:

SAID THROUGH THE YEAR.

FINANCIAL SECRETARY:

QUESTION:

THESE CHARGES?

FINANCIAL

SECRETARY:

THOUSANDS OF VERY SMALL CHARGES.

QUESTION:

THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 1992

14

AND IS THERE A TIMETABLE?

YOU

THERE IS.

AND WHAT IS IT?

TO COLLECT

WELL I

MEAN,

THERE

ARE

FINANCIAL SECRETARY:

QUESTION:

FINANCIAL

SECRETARY:

NO, I'M TALKING ABOUT THE

ONES

THE MAIN ONES?

YES.

I DON'T KNOW, IS

THE ANSWER.

K.Y. ANY HELPFUL THOUGHTS ON THAT QUESTION?

K.Y.

YEUNG:

SOME YES, THERE ARE

SEVERAL REVIEW THOUSAND

AND FEES

THEY ARE KEPT UNDER REGULAR AND CHARGES.

NOW THERE IS AN ANNUAL CYCLE INCREASED TO RECOVER COST AS REQUIRED.

THESE OF REVIEW ACTIVITIES. WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO IS TO PHASE IN INCREASES BUT AVOIDING THE BLIMPS AND PEAKS AT THOSE TIMES OF THE YEAR LIKE PUBLIC WHEN OTHER CHARGES IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR TEND TO GO UP,

BE TRANSPORT

PHASING FRES AND CHARGES WHICH ARE NOT OURS. WE WILL

ON THE CONSUMER WE HAVE LOOKED AT THE EFFECT THESE IN GRADUALLY, PRICE INDEX WE ARE SATISFIED THAT EVEN IF WE WERE TO PHASE THEM IN THIS WAY, THE EFFECT ON CPIA GROWTH WOULD BE INSIGNIFICANT.

THE TUNNEL-TOLL - WE'VE

IN

TALKED

QUESTION: ABOUT IT A LOT WHEN CAN WE EXPECT AN INCREASE IN THE TUNNEL-TOLL?

K.Y. YEUNG:

Į

I'M SORRY, I COULDN'T GIVE

YOU

THE DETAILS, I'LL HAVE TO LOOK IT UP.

QUESTION: COUNCILLORS

ΤΟ

IT SEEMS THAT LEGISLATIVE WHO YOU WILL RELY ON TO APPROVE YOUR APPROPRIATION BILL ARE UNANIMOUS THAT THE PERSONAL ALLOWANCE IS NOT ENOUGH AND NEEDS BE RAISED. GIVEN THAT THE PRECEDENT HAS ALREADY BEEN SET BY PREDECESSORS THAT THERE COULD BE A CHANGE TO YOUR APPROPRIATION WILL

LEVEL OF THE YOU COMPLETELY REALISE THAT YOU MAY CHANGE THE PERSONAL ALLOWANCES IN THE LIGHT OF THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY LEGCO?

SECRETARY:

YOUR BILL,

CLEAR, AS I

FOR

THEY

THE

FINANCIAL

NO, MY PACKAGE IS VERY IT IS CONSTRUCTED AS A PACKAGE, I BELIEVE IT MAKES SENSE, AND HAVE POINTED OUT, THE SUPPOSITION ON WHICH THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARGUE HIGHER ALLOWANCES BASE THEIR PROPOSAL IS NOT CORRECT. THE ALLOWANCES HAVE KEPT PACE WITH INFLATION, SO I WOULD VERY MUCH HOPE THAT

RECONSIDER WILL

THEIR

WHICH IN IDEAS,

SOME CASES ENVISAGE ALLOWANCES GOING UP BY AS MUCH AS 50%.

QUESTION:

SO

YOU WOULD NOT

CHANGE

IT,

EVEN IF YOU REACH THE CHANCE THAT THEY MAY VOTE DOWN THE BUDGET?

/FINANCIAL SECRETARY