August 2018 issue of “Hong Kong Monthly Digest of Statistics” now available

     The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) published today (August 15) the August 2018 issue of the "Hong Kong Monthly Digest of Statistics" (HKMDS).

     Apart from providing up-to-date statistics, this issue also contains two feature articles entitled "Business Performance and Operating Characteristics of the Transportation, Storage and Courier Services Sector, 2007 to 2016" and "Composite Employment Estimates 2017".

"Business Performance and Operating Characteristics of the Transportation, Storage and Courier Services Sector, 2007 to 2016"

     Transport plays an important role in the sustainable development of an economy. The transportation, storage and courier services sector continues to play a significant role in our economy. In 2016, this sector accounted for 6.2% of the Gross Domestic Product at current basic prices.

     This feature article presents statistics on the business performance and operating characteristics of the transportation, storage and courier services sector during the period 2007 to 2016, mainly based on the findings of the Annual Survey of Economic Activities. Reference is also made to relevant statistics from other sources for 2017.

     For enquiries about this feature article, please contact the Logistics and Producer Prices Statistics Section, C&SD (Tel: 3903 7255; email: transport@censtatd.gov.hk).

"Composite Employment Estimates 2017"

     In studies of employment statistics, the issue of discrepancies observed between the employment data obtained from establishment-based surveys which refer to occupied posts in firms, and those data obtained from household surveys which refer to persons employed, is common. To tackle this, the C&SD has been compiling a set of Composite Employment Estimates (CEE) which reconcile, under a designated statistical framework, the results obtained from the household-based General Household Survey and the establishment-based Quarterly Survey of Employment and Vacancies since 1997.

     This feature article provides the CEE figures in individual industries for 2012 to 2017. It also gives an account of the characteristics of CEE and briefly discusses the differences and usage of the CEE vis-à-vis the other employment figures.

     For enquiries about this feature article, please contact the Employment Statistics and Central Register of Establishments Section, C&SD (Tel: 2582 4751; email: employment@censtatd.gov.hk).

     Published in bilingual form, the HKMDS is a compact volume of official statistics containing about 140 tables. It collects up-to-date statistical series on various aspects of the social and economic situation of Hong Kong. Topics include population; labour; external trade; National Income and Balance of Payments; prices; business performance; energy; housing and property; government accounts, finance and insurance; and transport, communications and tourism. For selected key statistical items, over 20 charts depicting the annual trend in the past decade and quarterly or monthly trend in the recent two years are also available. Users can download the Digest free of charge at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/hkstat/sub/sp460.jsp?productCode=B1010002).

     Enquiries about the contents of the Digest can be directed to the Statistical Information Services Section of the C&SD (Tel: 2582 4738; email: gen-enquiry@censtatd.gov.hk).




Effective Exchange Rate Index

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Wednesday, August 15, 2018 is 105 (up 0.3 against yesterday's index).




SWD invites eligible elderly persons to apply for fourth batch of vouchers under Pilot Scheme on Residential Care Service Voucher for the Elderly

     The Social Welfare Department (SWD) today (August 15) invited eligible elderly persons to apply for the fourth batch of vouchers under the Pilot Scheme on Residential Care Service Voucher (RCSV) for the Elderly.
 
     A spokesman for the SWD said that letters will be sent to eligible elderly persons to invite them to join the Scheme. Elderly persons who have been assessed as moderately impaired under the SWD's Standardised Care Need Assessment Mechanism for Elderly Services and waitlisted for care-and-attention (C&A) places under the Central Waiting List (CWL) for Subsidised Long Term Care Services for the Elderly with application dates on or before the end of December 2017 (not including those who are RCSV holders, and those whose status on the CWL is "inactive" or who are offered subvented/subsidised placement) are eligible to apply for the fourth batch of RCSVs. The closing date for applications is September 11. Successful applicants will be issued with RCSVs from the end of September onwards.
      
     The spokesman said, "Adopting the 'money-following-the-user' principle, the Scheme provides an additional choice for elderly persons in need of residential care service by allowing them to choose the residential care services provided by eligible residential care homes for the elderly (RCHEs) under the Scheme according to their needs. The Scheme is being implemented in three phases with the first phase and second phase launched in March 2017 and September 2017 respectively. There are, as of today, 93 RCHEs participating as Recognised Service Providers (RSPs) offering beds which accept RCSV holders. The RSPs are RCHEs providing non-subsidised residential care places in subvented homes, contract homes, self-financing homes and EA1 private RCHEs under the Enhanced Bought Place Scheme (EBPS). The third phase will be extended to cover all RCHEs meeting the requirements. The SWD has earlier invited RCHEs to join the third phase of the Scheme. Successful RSPs joining the third phase will offer service to RCSV holders in September 2018 at the earliest, and the numbers of RSPs and residential care places available for RCSV holders are expected to increase gradually."
      
     Under the principle of "users pay in accordance with affordability", the Scheme adopts a sliding scale of co-payment at eight levels (Level 0 to Level 7). Elderly persons are assessed on an individual basis in the means test in which both income and assets will be taken into account in determining the co-payment level. The payment percentages of the elderly users range from 0 per cent at the lowest to 75 per cent at the highest. The current voucher value under the Scheme is $12,609 per month while voucher value will be adjusted to $13,287 per month with effect from October 1. The RSPs has to provide a "standard service package" under the voucher value for RCSV holders. The scope of the package is comparable to that of subsidised C&A places under the EBPS.
      
     The spokesman added that the Residential Care Service Voucher Office of the SWD will assist RCSV holders to select suitable RSPs and provide follow-up support for them after admission, such as regular visits and assistance with change of RSPs when necessary. If elderly persons or their carers/family members have enquiries about application, they may contact the above-mentioned office on 3107 3280 or 3107 3290. The telephone lines will be operating from 9.30am to 1pm and 2.30pm to 5pm on Mondays to Fridays, except for public holidays.
      
     For details of the Scheme and the list of RSPs, citizens may visit the SWD website (www.swd.gov.hk). The SWD will update the list of RSPs in the website from time to time. Citizens may also browse the SWD Elderly Information Website (elderlyinfo.swd.gov.hk) to get more details such as information on manpower and facilities for each of the RSPs.
 




CSD releases “Learn from a Referee to Judge Right or Wrong” video

     The Correctional Services Department (CSD) today (August 15) released a video showing the highlights of a special football match between persons in custody of Pik Uk Correctional Institution (PUCI) and youth team members of the Hong Kong Football Association. The match, which took place at PUCI, was held ahead of the Hong Kong football representative team's participation in the Asian Games in Jakarta.
      
     The video, entitled "Learn from a Referee to Judge Right or Wrong", shows 12 young persons in custody who have completed the Football Referee Training elementary course organised by the Association. In addition to being awarded certificates, they also gained the opportunity to join a friendly soccer match to play with youth team members of the Association. In addition, the persons in custody took turns to act as referees on the day to put their training into practice.
      
     Narrated by multimedia producer Mr Ng Ka-him, the video is interesting and entertaining. He said that the young persons in custody have not yet passed the first half of the match of life, and expressed the hope that they can continue the second half of life with smiles.
      
     PUCI jointly held the training course with the Association for the persons in custody in the middle of this year. The aim of the course was to enable them to learn to judge right and wrong and to understand the community's care and support so as to strengthen their determination for rehabilitation.
      
     Members of the public are invited to watch the video, which has been uploaded to the CSD YouTube Channel at youtu.be/FiEs3GdAMdU.

Photo  Photo  Photo  



Regional Traffic Day of Kowloon West

     Police yesterday (August 14) held the Regional Traffic Day in Kowloon West to raise public awareness of road safety through stringent enforcement actions.

     A total of 237 officers from Traffic Kowloon West and District Traffic Teams of Kowloon City, Mong Kok, Shum Shui Po and Yau Tsim Districts were deployed to take enforcement actions at traffic black spots in Kowloon West.

     The operation resulted in the issue of 1 880 fixed penalty tickets and 130 summonses. Among the fixed penalty tickets and summonses issued, a total of 1 742 fixed penalty tickets were issued for illegal parking and the rest are for other traffic offences.

     Police figures revealed that a total of 1 827 traffic accidents involving casualties occurred in Kowloon West in the first seven months of 2018, of which 465 cases involved pedestrian injuries.

     Police will continue to take regular enforcement actions to ensure road safety.