Housing Bureau mulls plan for flat owners in trouble

The Transport & Housing Bureau is considering allowing Sandwich Class Housing Scheme owners in financial hardship to apply for refinancing from lending institutions without having to pay the premium to the government.

"We are thinking along the direction of setting up a mechanism for the scheme's flat owners with financial needs to apply to Hong Kong Housing Society to obtain re-financing from eligible lending institutions," Secretary for Transport & Housing Eva Cheng told the LegCo yesterday.

Conference to promote holistic family approach

A conference promoting a holistic family approach in formulating policy and social services was held yesterday at the University of Hong Kong.

Chief Secretary Henry Tang inaugurated the conference, which was aimed at enhancing the family as a core value and promote a better understanding of its meaning and implications. It also sought to emphasize the importance for different government bureaux and sectors in embracing a holistic family approach in formulating social policy and providing services.

City braces for cold front, says HK Observatory

The Hong Kong Observatory said yesterday temperatures will drop to around 17 degrees Celsius tonight as a winter monsoon from the north brings a cold front to the southern coastal region and it will be colder on Friday and this weekend.

The weatherman said last night the mercury will dip to around 12 degrees Celsius tomorrow and Saturday when the cold front is fully on top of Hong Kong. That would be colder than it was when the observatory issued the cold weather warning last Friday, the first time this winter.

CSD survey to examine spending patterns

The Census & Statistics Department (CSD) will conduct the latest Household Expenditure Survey from next October to September 2010 to study spending patterns, Commissioner and Chairman of the Statistics Advisory Board Fung Hing-wang says.

The survey is conducted every five years. Preparatory work for the study has started and the results will be released in April and May 2011.

Fung said planning is also underway for the 2011 Population Census.

China Daily

(HK Edition 12/04/2008 page1)