XN000022-1996-11-06 — Page 22

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The proposed amendments are technical. They seek to provide maximum flexibility for specifying the levy on any transaction in the securities and futures market, such that a levy can be specified as a percentage of the consideration, a fixed amount, nil rate or nil amount for each transaction, or a rate as otherwise calculated under the order of the Governor-in-Council. We hope the change will enable the law to keep pace with market developments.

Thank you, Mr President.

End

Street lighting in rural areas

Following is a question by the Hon Albert Ho Chun-yan and a reply by the Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Michael Suen, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):

Question:

Will the Government inform this Council:

(a)

(b)

(c)

of the resources allocated for improving street lighting in rural areas as well as the number of applications for installing street lights in the Tuen Mun district and the number of street lights installed in each of the past three years,

whether the Government has assessed the demand for street lighting in rural areas; and

whether the Government will consider making any performance pledge regarding the improvement of street lighting in rural areas?

Reply:

The Highways Department and Home Affairs Department work together to provide street lighting in rural areas. Under the existing arrangements, around 1,000 lights are installed every year in villages in the NT. For 1996/97, the resources allocated for improving street lighting in rural areas amount to $10.9 million. We plan to increase the annual quota from 1,000 to 1,200 starting in 1997/98 subject to the availability of funds.