XN000022-1996-05-15 — Page 45

29.

Reply:

(c)

Mr President,

(a)

of the proportion of long distance calls in the total out-going calls made by light users (i.e. those with an average call time of 0-400 minutes per month), as well as the respective proportions of out-going long distance calls made by such users in the total long distance calls made locally in terms of call time and in terms of profits in the past year?

The data provided in the Economic Services Panel paper entitled "Review of the Pricing Structure of Local Telephone Services" cover successful local outgoing call minutes only. The data were collected from a sampling measurement exercise conducted in the third quarter of 1995 covering some 12,000 residential lines and 11,000 business lines which were randomly selected. Successful local conversation minutes were derived by applying a scale-down factor on all measured outgoing call minutes. As the survey was conducted to collect data on local calls only, information on the usage pattern of outgoing long distance calls had not been collected. However, based on sampling checks it is estimated that international calls accounted for 4% of the total residential traffic and 10% of the total business traffic.

(b&c) As explained in (a) above, the survey was conducted to collect data on local calls only. Data on usage pattern in respect of international calls had not been collected.

End

Respite service for mental patients

Following is a question by Dr the Hon John Tse Wing-ling and a written reply by the Secretary for Health and Welfare, Mrs Katherine Fok, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):

Question:

Regarding the respite service provided for the mentally handicapped, will the Government inform this Council: