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The Statistics Advisory Board held a meeting today (May 27) to review the main scope of government statistical work and its recent developments.
At the meeting, Members were updated on the latest progress of organising the 59th World Statistics Congress (WSC) of the International Statistical Institute (ISI) to be held in Hong Kong in 2013.
"ISI is a prestigious international statistical organisation. Its biennial WSCs are regarded as great events of the international statistical community. Hosting the 59th WSC will serve to strengthen Hong Kong's status in the international arena of statistics and demonstrate its statistical achievements. The event will also provide a valuable platform for promoting statistical developments in Hong Kong, the Asia Pacific region and other parts of the world. The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) is making initial preparation for the event. Two local committees have also been set up to steer and oversee the organisation work," said Mr Fung Hing-wang, Commissioner for Census and Statistics and Chairman of the Statistics Advisory Board.
Major findings of the 2009 Annual Earnings and Hours Survey (AEHS), a survey launched in May 2009 to meet the statistical requirements for supporting analysis related to the Statutory Minimum Wage (SMW), were reported at the meeting. Members were also briefed on how the results of the 2009 AEHS and 2008 round of annual economic surveys could be used for assessing the possible impact of SMW. Enhancements will be made to the upcoming round of these surveys to facilitate more refined assessment.
Members noted that C&SD was updating the current set of population projections, which was released following the completion of the 2006 Population By-census, with reference to the most up-to-date information of fertility, mortality and migration patterns of the population. The updated set of population projections using 2009 as the base year will be released in mid-2010.
Also discussed at the meeting was the major development of the statistical framework and data feeding system for each of the Six Crucial Industries, viz. medical services, education services, testing and certification services, environmental industries, innovation and technology, and cultural and creative industries. The relevant enhancements were being implemented in C&SD's annual economic surveys with a view to meeting the latest data need for the development of these new economic areas.
The Board reviewed other statistical developments since the previous meeting, including the latest preparation work for the 2011 Population Census; assistance rendered in compiling an income index for use in the rent review of public rental housing; promotion of statistical literacy among different sectors of the community; and a number of strategic IT projects being launched in C&SD.
The Statistics Advisory Board is a non-statutory advisory body which advises the Commissioner for Census and Statistics on matters pertaining to government statistical work. Its membership consists of established professionals of the business sector, the academia and the community, which provides for a wide representation to assist the Commissioner in integrating views of data users, raw data suppliers and statisticians. The terms of reference and composition of the Board can be found on the C&SD Website (www.censtatd.gov.hk/about_us/our_advisory_board/index.jsp).
Ends/Thursday, May 27, 2010
Issued at HKT 16:33
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