HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
2 November 1988
香港立法局
一九八八年十一月二日
27
outside. So far, this has happened without any ill effects and this give some indications, I think that perhaps the worries, the concerns which have been expressed may be a little bit exaggerated.
MRS. FAN: Sir, like any new arrivals, Vietnamese refugees entering the society are bound to face problems. The Secretary told us about voluntary agencies running a social adaptation programme. Can the Secretary tell us whether this social adaptation programme also includes follow-up counselling for those refugees who have gone out to work and encountered problems so that they might be helped to handle these problems in a sensible and rational manner?
SECRETARY FOR SECURITY: Sir, I do not have details of counselling. It does exist, but as I said I have not taken any details this afternoon. I should provide this to Mrs. FAN in writing, Sir. (Annex V)
Applications for new company names
6. MR. PETER WONG asked: Will the Government inform this Council why the Companies Registry needs to take seven weeks to approve new company names, and whether it will consider reducing the time required, bearing in mind that the use of a desired name for a new business is of prime importance and that such prolonged uncertainty may reflect unfavourably on Hong Kong as an international business centre?
FINANCIAL SECRETARY: Sir, about 22 000 applications for new company names are now received by the Companies Registry each month. This is a considerable increase over earlier years. Also, last year, the number of new companies incorporated increased by 60% and the number of searches by 10%. The problem is further compounded by a significant increase in workload in other areas of the Companies Registry. Hence the delays.
In dealing with an application for a company name the Registrar has to consider whether it so closely resembles the name of an existing company as to cause confusion in the public mind. The decision is not easy since there are now over 200 000 registered companies and more than 50 000 reservations of company names, which also have to be checked.
Additional posts have been created in the Companies Registry to help cope with the workload. Furthermore, the problem has been referred to the Standing Committee on Company Law Reform for review. After considering the system
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