XN000022-1995-11-02 — Page 96

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Licensing applications at Trade Department

Following is a question by the Hon Henry Tang Ying-yen and a written reply by the Secretary for Trade and Industry, Mr Chau Tak-hay, in the Legislative Council today (Thursday):

Question:

Will the Government inform this Council:

(a) of the respective average numbers of licensing applications and related enquiries received daily by the Trade Department, and whether there are low and peak seasons in submitting applications and making enquiries;

(b) of the average time taken for processing each application as well as the

average waiting time for making an enquiry; and

(c) whether the Trade Department will consider opening their offices during lunch time to handle applications, as in the case of other government departments such as the Transport Department and the Home Affairs Department, if not, why not?

Reply:

Mr President.

Trade Department deals with a wide variety of licence applications, the majority of which are concerned with textiles export control.

In 1994, the Department received 1.45 million textiles export licence applications, of which 650,000 were restrained licences and 800,000 were non- restrained licences. On average, therefore, the Department received 2,200 restrained licences applications and 2,700 non-restrained licences applications per working day. The peak seasons usually occur before the final licensing date at the end of the year, before Lunar New Year Holidays, and before and after long holidays. There can be as many as 15,000 (restrained) and 4,500 (non-restrained) licence applications in a day. The Department does not keep statistics on the number of enquiries on textiles related services but the number is substantial according to experience.

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