***********************************************************
Following is a question by the Hon Kwok Wai-keung and a written reply by the Acting Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr James Lau, in the Legislative Council today (April 30):
Question:
In 2003, the outbreak of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome in Hong Kong adversely affected the economy, with the unemployment rate between May and July 2003 soaring to 8.7%. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council of the "nominal wage index" and "real wage index" for various industries and trades, as well as the "nominal index of payroll per person engaged" for the industries set out in the Annex 1, in 2003, 2004, 2012 and 2013 (with the indices for the first quarter of 2002 as 100)?
Reply:
President,
Nominal and real wage indices for various industry sections and occupational groups in December of 2003, 2004, 2012 and 2013 are set out in Table 1 and Table 2 of Annex 2 respectively. As for the nominal indices of payroll per person engaged for specific industries in the fourth quarter of 2003, 2004, 2012 and 2013, they are set out in Table 3 of Annex 2.
Ends/Wednesday, April 30, 2014
Issued at HKT 12:00
NNNN
