XN000022-1994-11-23 — Page 51

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1994

BY CONTRAST, THE RATING ORDINANCE STIPULATES THE PERIOD WITHIN WHICH THE RATING AND VALUATION DEPARTMENT (RVD) MUST PROCESS OBJECTIONS BY RATEPAYERS TO THE DEPARTMENT'S ASSESSMENT OF

VALUES. A YEAR.

RATEABLE OF ANY GENERAL

OF THAT

RATEPAYER MAY MAKE AN OBJECTION IN APRIL AND MAY FOR OBJECTIONS LODGED IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING A REVALUATION, RVD MUST ISSUE ITS DECISIONS BEFORE DECEMBER YEAR. FOR OBJECTIONS MADE IN OTHER YEARS, RVD MUST FINISH PROCESSING THEM BEFORE SEPTEMBER OF THE SAME YEAR.

ON (B)

IRD WILL REFUND ANY OVERPAID TAX TO THE TAXPAYER CONCERNED UPON SETTLEMENT OF THE DISPUTE. AS REGARDS RATES, IF THE DECISION ON THE RATES OBJECTION RESULTS IN A REDUCTION IN RATES PAYMENT, RVD WILL REFUND THE OVERPAYMENT EITHER BY MEANS OF A CREDIT ADJUSTMENT IN THE NEXT QUARTERLY RATES DEMAND OR, UPON REQUEST, BY CHEQUE IMMEDIATELY.

ON (C)

AS MENTIONED ABOVE, TAXPAYERS WHO OBTAIN PERMISSION FROM IRD FOR CONDITIONAL HOLD-OVER OF TAX ARE REQUIRED TO PURCHASE TAX RESERVE CERTIFICATES TO COVER THE TAX IN DISPUTE. IF IN THE LIGHT OF THE DECISION ON THE DISPUTE, THE AMOUNT OF TAX RESERVE CERTIFICATES PURCHASED EXCEEDS THE OUTSTANDING TAX PAYABLE TO IRD, IRD WILL RETURN THE BALANCE TOGETHER WITH THE INTEREST THEREON TO THE TAXPAYER. AT PRESENT, THE INTEREST RATE FOR TAX RESERVE CERTIFICATES IS PEGGED

TO THE SIX-MONTH DEPOSIT RATE OFFERED BY MAJOR BANKS. AS FOR RATES,

WE DO NOT SEE A NEED FOR ANY CHANGE TO THE EXISTING ARRANGEMENTS IN VIEW OF THE STATUTORY REQUIREMENT FOR RVD ΤΟ RESOLVE DISPUTES WITH RATEPAYERS WITHIN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.

0

INDOOR RADON CONCENTRATION LEVEL

FOLLOWING IS A QUESTION BY THE HON LAM KUI-CHUN AND A WRITTEN REPLY BY THE ACTING SECRETARY FOR PLANNING, ENVIRONMENT AND LANDS, MR CANICE MAK, IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY):

QUESTION: IN VIEW OF THE FINDING THAT RADON GAS EMITTED FROM CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS MAY POSE A THREAT TO THE HEALTH OF PEOPLE INSIDE ARTIFICIALLY VENTILATED SEALED BUILDINGS, WILL THE GOVERNMENT INFORM THIS COUNCIL WHETHER:

(A) ANY SAFETY STANDARD HAS BEEN SET REGARDING THE EFFECT

OF RADON GAS ON HUMAN HEALTH;

(B)

ANY TESTS HAVE BEEN CARRIED OUT TO MEASURE THE RADON GAS CONCENTRATION IN ARTIFICIALLY VENTILATED SEALED BUILDINGS IN THE TERRITORY; IF 50, WHETHER THE CONCENTRATION IS AT A LEVEL THAT MAY AFFECT THE HEALTH OF PEOPLE INSIDE SUCH BUILDINGS; AND

/(C) THERE ARE