Following is the transcript of remarks by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Dr Law Chi-kwong, on the analysis of the poverty situation in Hong Kong in 2017 after attending a radio programme this morning (November 25):

Reporter: Secretary, there are calls to review how poverty is calculated, for example by taking into account the household expenditure. Do you think it would be a more accurate indicator on poverty? Also, would you say no matter how hard the Government tries, it can never eradicate poverty in Hong Kong? Thank you.

Secretary for Labour and Welfare: Let me answer the latter part first. As we are using the idea of "relative poverty" (in setting the "poverty line"), it would be almost impossible to eradicate poverty under the "relative poverty" concept. If you are rich while I am less rich than you are, I am relatively poorer than you are. So, somehow in terms of "relative poverty", it would be almost impossible (to eradicate poverty). Particularly under a market economy (in Hong Kong), that would be impossible.

     Going back to the question on how we work on the "poverty line", particularly with respect to the idea of including some (household) expenditure as a way of looking at it. Every five years, the Government has an (household) expenditure survey. The next survey will start next year, 2019, and end in the middle of 2020. So, we would have some data by the end of 2020 to look at how expenditure affects the livelihood (of households) and see how we can incorporate such data to look at the poverty situation. We don't have year-to-year data for expenditure, but the expenditure survey to be done every five years will give us some hints to understand it. That is what we can do.

(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)

     A total of 50,874 registered electors voted in the Legislative Council Kowloon West geographical constituency by-election as at 11.30am today (November 25), representing an accumulative turnout rate of 10.44%.

     The voter turnout figures are for temporary reference only.

     The 2018 Mainland Higher Education Expo, jointly organised by the Ministry of Education and the Education Bureau (EDB), will be held on December 1 and 2 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wanchai. The Expo will enable students aspiring to pursue further studies on the Mainland to gain a better understanding of the Scheme for Admission of Hong Kong Students to Mainland Higher Education Institutions (Admission Scheme) in 2019, and also provides information on the participating institutions and their programmes.
 
      There are 110 Mainland higher education institutions participating in the 2019 Admission Scheme, of which 108 institutions will set up exhibition booths and organise talks to provide information on aspects such as faculties and subjects, admission criteria, and the number of places and tuition fees. During the event, there will be talks by representatives of the Ministry of Education on details of the application procedures and admission arrangements under the Admission Scheme.
 
     There will also be briefing sessions conducted by representatives from the institutions on the characteristics and career prospects of individual programmes. Some Hong Kong graduates from Mainland institutions will talk about their study life on the Mainland at sharing sessions. In addition, representatives from the education and business sectors will give talks on the career prospects of students after their graduation from Mainland higher education institutions.
 
     The EDB and the Hok Yau Club have jointly compiled the "Handbook on the Scheme for the Admission of Hong Kong Students to Mainland Higher Education Institutions". The handbook provides comprehensive information on the scheme and further study on the Mainland and will be distributed free of charge at the Expo.
 
     The Expo will be open to the public on December 1 (Saturday) from 10am to 7pm and on December 2 (Sunday) from 10am to 6pm at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wanchai. Admission is free.

The following is issued on behalf of the Liquor Licensing Board:

     The Liquor Licensing Board will meet on Tuesday (November 27) to consider revoking the liquor licence of Mikado in Tsim Sha Tsui.
 
     The meeting will be held at 9.45am in the conference room, Room 102, 1/F, 258 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai. Members of the public are welcome to attend, except during the private session on confidential items.

     A total of 32,204 registered electors voted in the Legislative Council Kowloon West geographical constituency by-election as at 10.30am today (November 25), representing an accumulative turnout rate of 6.61%.

     The voter turnout figures are for temporary reference only.