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LCQ17: Statistics on household income and expenditure
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     Following is a question by Dr Hon David Li Kwok-po and a written reply by the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Professor K C Chan, in the Legislative Council today (July 13):

Question:

     The "2009-2010 Household Expenditure Survey and the Rebasing of the Consumer Price Indices" (2009-2010 HES) published in April this year offers up-to-date information on the expenditure patterns of households. Based on the 2009-2010 HES results, the 2009-2010-based Consumer Price Index (CPI)(A), CPI(B) and CPI(C) have been compiled respectively according to the expenditure patterns of households in the various expenditure ranges, and the Composite CPI has been compiled based on the expenditure pattern of all the households taken together.  Separately, the "Quarterly Report on General Household Survey" publishes, on a quarterly basis, the overall median household income. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(a) of the median and average monthly expenditures of households in 1999-2000, 2004-2005 and 2009-2010, by households in the respective expenditure ranges of CPI(A), CPI(B) and CPI(C);

(b) of the median and average monthly expenditures of households in 1999-2000, 2004-2005 and 2009-2010 with the effects of the Government's one-off relief measures (if any) being removed, by households in the respective expenditure ranges of CPI(A), CPI(B) and CPI(C); and

(c) of the median incomes of households in 1999-2000, 2004-2005 and 2009-2010, by households in the respective expenditure ranges of CPI(A), CPI(B) and CPI(C)?

Reply:

President,

     The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) conducts the Household Expenditure Survey (HES) once every five years. The objective of HES is to collect up-to-date information of household expenditure with a view to providing reference to update the expenditure weights of the Consumer Price Indices (CPIs). The latest round of the HES was conducted in 2009/10. In respect of the statistics on median and average monthly household expenditure classified by CPI expenditure ranges mentioned in parts (a) and (b) of the question raised by Dr Hon David Lee Kwok-po, C&SD indicated that such statistics are not covered under the information compiled from the HES. The information on household expenditure collected from HES was mainly classified by quartile expenditure groups. The median and average monthly household expenditure in 1999/2000, 2004/05 and 2009/10 by quartile expenditure groups are set out in the Annex.

     C&SD is also not able to provide the requested figures raised under part (c) of the question. It is because the statistics on the median income of household are not computed under the HES. Besides, though information on household income was collected in the General Household Survey, such relevant statistics are not computed and classified by CPI expenditure ranges.

Ends/Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Issued at HKT 15:00

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