TNAG-0119-FCO40-155-Lord-Shepherd-s-visit-1969 — Page 81

FCO40 Hong Kong Department Records 聯邦事務部香港部檔案 All

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13.

We have supplemented these with

taxation and monetary policies which have been

extremely severe.

Towards the end of last year despite

the tough budget, it began to appear as if

consumption was again rising to the levels of

the previous year.

This coupled with the continuing high

level of imports, led us to introduce hire

purchase restrictions and the subsequent

measures of last November: increased purchase

tax, credit restrictions and an import deposit

scheme, and these measures were intended primarily

to correct the rise in consumption.

14.

Our determination to make our policies

effective was also demonstrated by the recent

increase in the bank rate to 8%.

This was not a measure taken for

international monetary reasons but to help the

steps we have already taken to control domestic

credit.

This strategy was continued in this year's

budget. It aimed to increase taxation by £270

million in 1969/70 and by about £340 million in

a full year.

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