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The Statistics Advisory Board held a regular meeting on November 10 to review the main scope of government statistical work and its recent developments.
At the meeting, Members were updated on the progress of the 2006 Population By-census (06BC) conducted by the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD).
"The public were very supportive of this large scale statistical undertaking. During the 18-day operation from July 15 to August 1, census officers visited one-tenth of the living quarters in Hong Kong and enumerated some 220 000 households. Among these households, over 2% provided the information by completing electronic questionnaires. It is the first time in our population census/by-census in which respondents have been provided with an electronic reporting option in furnishing the required data," said Mr Fung Hing-wang, Commissioner for Census and Statistics and Chairman of the Statistics Advisory Board.
"Data processing work of the 06BC is in full swing. It is planned that the summary results of the 06BC will be released in end-February 2007, with more detailed results subsequently available in phases. To meet the diverse needs of users, a range of statistical products will be prepared and multi-channels adopted to facilitate the efficient and effective dissemination of the 06BC results," Mr Fung continued.
Also reported at the meeting was the progress regarding the full-scale revision exercise of the Hong Kong Standard Industrial Classification (HSIC). The C&SD was reviewing the current version of HSIC, i.e. Version 1.1 (V1.1), with reference to the basic framework and principles of the upcoming International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities Revision 4 (ISIC Rev. 4) of the United Nations. Superseding HSIC V1.1, the revised version of HSIC, i.e. V2.0, would provide a classification scheme which could better reflect the latest changes in the structure of the Hong Kong economy and the emergence of new economic activities (e.g. information, communications and financial activities). A draft coding structure of the HSIC V2.0 would soon be ready for consultation with government departments and prominent organisations. The new HSIC was expected to be available by end-2007.
Members were informed that, in the light of globalisation of the world's economy, there was an increasing need by governments and international organisations to understand the phenomena of international business operations and to monitor the performance of foreign affiliates that fell outside the realm of traditional economic statistics. In this connection, the C&SD had been conducting a range of studies relating to the statistical framework for measuring economic activities of foreign affiliates in Hong Kong. At the meeting, members also reviewed the future development plans on the compilation of foreign affiliates trade in services (FATS) statistics for Hong Kong and supported that priority should be accorded in taking the plans forward in view of the growing needs for FATS statistics.
Members discussed the compilation and development of satellite accounts in the national accounts framework. Satellite accounts, which supplemented the core national accounts, provided a framework to expand the analytical capacity of national accounts for selected social and economic areas (e.g. tourism, health, environment). Among others, Tourism Satellite Account (TSA) and Domestic (or National) Health Account (DHA) were the most established ones with international guidelines developed and a wealth of experience of implementation in a number of economies. Members agreed that the implementation of satellite accounts was a long-term development. The C&SD would continue to keep abreast of the latest development in methodologies for compiling different satellite accounts and, more importantly, the needs of users in formulating the development plan for satellite accounts in Hong Kong.
At the meeting, the Board also reviewed other statistical developments since the previous meeting, including the latest situation regarding the compilation of science and technology statistics and indicators for describing a knowledge-based economy; and introduction of new/enhanced functions to the C&SD Website.
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. 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). Agenda of the recent meetings of the Board together with the press releases on key issues discussed are also posted there.
Ends/Monday, November 13, 2006
Issued at HKT 15:00
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