XN000022-1997-03-06 — Page 18

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Reporter (in English): The second point is, the booklet talks about a 5.6% increase in recurrent government expenditure. Do you have the figure for the percentage increase for total government expenditure?

Mr Cookson (in English): The total growth figure for government expenditure is 6.4%.

Reporter (in Mandarin): The expenses for the provisional legislature for the time being come from the Central Government. How will you provide for the reimbursement after July 1 within your Budget?

Mr K C Kwong (in Mandarin): The position of the Hong Kong Government with respect to the provisional legislature is very clear. There is no need for me to answer this question.

Reporter (in Chinese): About the land sales, the government has undertaken to provide more land for residential purposes. In the coming year, for land revenue it will be less by half, actually. Can you say something about land sales next year, say how many hectares will be for residential? Next year we don't need any land sales restrictions in terms of discussion between Britain and China. Will you sell more or less land next year?

Mr K C Kwong: The Lands Department and the PEL Branch have a blueprint for the land sales programme for 97/98. We still have to discuss with the Chinese through the Land Commission for the first three months of the year, that is from April to June. Part of the blueprint is still being discussed. It is hard for me to give specific information about what kind of land will be sold or how many hectares will be involved.

Reporter (in Chinese): Mr Kwong, about public housing expenditure, page 7 and page 13 of the booklet say that there is a growth of 9.2% and 16%. Then page 13, Capital Expenditure, it is rising significantly. But you also said that this kind of expenditure does not include most of the expenditure of the HA.

Mr K C Kwong (in Chinese): It does include it.

Reporter (in Chinese): Sorry, it does include it. Now, can you elaborate on that, on the details of the expenditure?

Mr KC Kwong (in Chinese): It is hard for me to answer Housing Authority expenditure on their behalf. It is just like you are asking me about the expenditure of the Urban Council. It is hard for me to speak on their behalf.