TNAG-2977-FCO40-1469-Economic-policy-in-Hong-Kong-1982 — Page 214

far as 1982 is concerned, influenced by building consents to

commence work amounting to 4 147 thousand square metres

granted to the private sector in 1981

1981 and by the

by the increased

public housing projects aimed at producing 40 000 flats a year, the demand for the output of the building industry

should continue to be substantial.

Mass

undertaken by the

Transit Railway

5.9

Most civil engineering works are

public sector (including the

Corporation). The preliminary estimate of expenditure on civil engineering works in 1981 was 1% (in real terms) higher

than the provisional estimate for 1980 but the number of persons employed on civil engineering sites was on average 78% lower in 1981 than 1980. Reflecting the completion of work on

the Modified Initial System of the Mass Transit Railway (MTR), both employment and output decreased at more or less the same

rate in 1979 and 1980(6). So, unlike the building industry,

/ output

Expenditure

(6)

(at constant

(1973) prices) on civil

engineering

Growth

works

rate

Number of persons* employed on civil engineering sites

Growth

rate

($Mn)

(૪)

(8)

1977

1,902

42

16 290

66

1978

2,091

10

19 890

22

1979

1,876

-10

17 540

-12

1980

1,645**

-12

14 990

-15

1981

1,659***

1

13 870

-7

Note:

(*)

Quarterly average for each year

(**)

Provisional estimate

(***)

Preliminary estimate

33