XN000022-1995-02-15 — Page 68

- 46

-

Exemption from business registration fee

Following is a question by the Hon Albert Chan and a written reply by the Secretary for the Treasury, Mr Donald Tsang, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):

Question:

In his Budget Speech for the current financial year presented in March 1994, the Financial Secretary proposed to increase substantially the exemption levels for the business registration fee paid by businesses with a small turnover, so that a business with average monthly sales not exceeding $15,000 or a business rendering services with average monthly receipts not exceeding $4,000, would be exempt from the fee. The Business Registration Ordinance was amended on April 1 in the same year to implement this policy. However, it is learnt that some eligible businesses are unaware of this exemption policy and have paid the business registration fee. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(a)

(b)

(c)

what steps the Government has taken to publicise the new policy among small businesses;

whether there are any channels for those small businesses eligible for exemption, who are unaware of the new policy and have paid the business registration fee, to apply for refund of the fee paid; and

whether the staff of the Business Registration Office have a responsibility for advising small businesses of the new policy?

Answer:

In reply to the three questions raised by the Honourable Member -

(a)

details of the increase in exemption levels (proposed in the 1994 Budget) have been included in publications issued by the Inland Revenue Department, namely:

How to Apply for Business Registration