The Census and Statistics Department today (May 21) reminded the management of the establishments selected in the 2019 round of the Annual Survey of Economic Activities to return the completed questionnaires to the department on or before May 29, 2020. The questionnaires were mailed earlier this year to about 20 000 selected establishments.
The survey aims to collect up-to-date statistical data from the selected establishments, so as to compile statistics on business performance and operating characteristics of various economic sectors for evaluating their contribution to Hong Kong's Gross Domestic Product. The survey results are useful to both the Government and the private sector in formulating policies and making decisions.
The Annual Survey of Economic Activities is a mandatory survey conducted under Part III of the Census and Statistics Ordinance (Chapter 316). According to section 13(1) of the Ordinance, any person to whom a questionnaire relating to a statistical survey is delivered shall complete the questionnaire or cause it to be completed by other persons to the best of his or her knowledge and belief, and in the manner specified in the questionnaire, and then return the questionnaire on or before the specified date. The Ordinance also stipulates that all collected data which may enable identification of individual establishments should be kept in strict confidence and should not be released to any unauthorised parties including government departments. Such data will be used for compiling statistics which will not enable information relating to individual establishments to be revealed.
The department would like to thank the establishments which have already returned the questionnaires, and appeal for the co-operation of other establishments which have been selected in the current survey by returning the completed questionnaires to the department on or before May 29. Any respondent who is unable to return the completed questionnaire of the above survey on or before May 29 is required to indicate the reason(s) for such delay and a reasonable date by which the completed questionnaire will be returned to the department.
The questionnaire has been designed so that respondents can complete it themselves by following the relevant explanatory notes. If necessary, officers of the department will contact individual establishments to offer assistance in completing the questionnaire. These officers will each carry a Government/Enumerator Identity Card and a certificate for conducting the survey, which are available for inspection.
The department also pointed out that audited accounts are not essential for the supply of income and expenditure data required for the survey. The department accepts figures based on preliminary accounts or estimates which are correct to the best of the respondents' knowledge at the time of submitting the questionnaires.
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