Anti-epidemic Fund Steering Committee convenes fourth meeting

     The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, chaired the fourth meeting of the Anti-epidemic Fund Steering Committee this afternoon (April 20).  
 
     The Legislative Council Finance Committee approved last Saturday (April 18) a funding application of $137.5 billion, including an injection of $120.5 billion to the Anti-epidemic Fund (the Fund) to roll out the second round of measures to provide further assistance or relief to members of the public and enterprises hard hit by the current epidemic or affected by anti-epidemic measures.
 
     Mr Cheung said, "The pandemic has caused an unprecedented impact on Hong Kong's economy and various sectors have been hard hit. The Government will take resolute and unprecedented measures to expeditiously relieve the imminent needs of the businesses and members of the public. To provide assistance and relief to relevant enterprises and members of the public as soon as possible, I have asked the bureaux and departments to implement the measures at full steam to address the pressing needs of the community promptly and achieve the effect of safeguarding jobs and supporting enterprises."
 
     The Steering Committee deliberated and approved the funding commitment for 33 measures under the second-round Fund at the meeting today. Some of the second-round measures can be immediately implemented, while other measures will be launched as soon as possible, with a view to providing timely relief to the affected sectors and individuals. 
 
     The 33 approved measures and their funding commitments are as follows:
 

  Measures Financial commitments
($ million)
Job retention, job creation, job advancement
1. Employment Support Scheme 81,000
2. Job creation 6,000
3. LAWTECH Fund 40
4. COVID-19 Online Dispute Resolution Scheme 70
5. Subsidy for encouraging early deployment of 5G 60
6. Distance Business Programme 500
7. Training subsidies for consultants in the construction sector 30
8. Matching Grant Scheme for Skills Upgrading 100
Provision of one-off relief for specific sectors
9. Relief Grant for Tutorial Schools 120
10. Relief Grants for Providers of Catering Services for Schools and Post-secondary Education Institutions and Providers of Interest Group and School Bus Services for Schools 419
11. One-off Grant to Registered Sports Coaches 116
12. Relief Grants for Freelance Workers Hired by Subvented Non-governmental Welfare Organisations to Provide Training and Coaching for Service Users 61.5
13. Subsidy for the Refuse Transfer Station Account Holders for Transporting Municipal Solid Waste 7
14. Subsidies for Local Primary Producers 76
15. Special Subsidy to Exchange Participants and Securities and Futures Commission Licensees 140
16. Cash Subsidy for Individual Licensees in the Estate Agency Sector 135
17. Subsidy for the Passenger Transport Sector 3,409.15
18. Providing Relief to Creative Industries 89
19. Tourism Industry Support Schemes 1,070
20. Relief Measures for Construction Sector 4,335
21. Subsidy to Operators of Revitalising Historic Buildings Through Partnership Scheme, PMQ and Fly the Flyover Operation 36
22. Subsidy for the Aviation Sector 367
23. Catering Business (Social Distancing) Subsidy Scheme 9,520
Subsidy schemes for premises affected by COVID-19
24. Amusement Game Centres Subsidy Scheme 24
25. Commercial Bathhouses Subsidy Scheme 5
26. Fitness Centre Subsidy Scheme 171
27. Support Places of Amusement in Anti-epidemic Efforts 6
28. Place of Public Entertainment Licence Holder Subsidy Scheme 24
29. Mahjong/Tin Kau Licence Holder Subsidy Scheme 6.6
30. Subsidy Scheme for Beauty Parlours, Massage Establishments and Party Rooms 860
31. Club-house Subsidy Scheme 58
32. Sports and Recreational Sites Subsidy Scheme 8
Easing the cash flow and burden of businesses and individuals
33. A 20 per cent fare concession of MTR and temporary relaxation of the monthly threshold of the Public Transport Fare Subsidy Scheme 800

      
     The Steering Committee is chaired by the Chief Secretary for Administration to monitor the implementation of the measures and the use of Fund, and to examine the progress reports from relevant bureaux and departments on a regular basis.