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With the establishment of the new registration system, the public will have better access to information about non-local courses conducted in Hong Kong. They will be able to inspect free of charge the register of registered and exempted courses and the annual reports of registered courses.

The Non-local Higher and Professional Education (Regulation) Bill is scheduled to be introduced into the Legislative Council on November 8, 1995.

End/Wednesday, October 18, 1995

Payroll statistics for second quarter 1995

According to statistics released today (Wednesday) by the Census and Statistics Department, average labour earnings in all major sectors of the economy, as measured by payroll per person engaged, recorded an increase of 13.1% in nominal terms in the second quarter of 1995 over a year earlier. After discounting changes in consumer prices, the increase was 3.6% in real terms.

Analysed by sector, average payroll per person engaged in the manufacturing sector increased by 10.5% in nominal terms, or 1.2% in real terms, in the second quarter of 1995 compared with a year ago.

For the wholesale, retail and import/export trades, restaurants and hotels sector, average payroll per person engaged increased by 12.5% in nominal terms or 3.0% in real terms. The increase in labour earnings was concentrated mainly in distributive trades. Labour earnings in restaurants and hotels showed a less rapid increase.

Average payroll per person engaged in the transport, storage and communication sector showed an increase of 14.0% in nominal terms or 4.4% in real terms. The significant increase was to some extent caused by the issue of seasonal bonuses by some transport companies in the second quarter of 1995.

Average payroll per person engaged in the financing, insurance, real estate and business services sector recorded an increase of 14.8% in nominal terms or 5.1% in real terms. The relatively larger increase was mainly due to the increase in the proportion of high-paid staff in the business services and insurance industries, and also the issue of more commission and bonus payment in the insurance industry.