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PRESS RELEASE (Source : Government Information Centre)

Partial salaries tax rebate for the year of assessment 2001/02

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The Administration proposed yesterday (April 23) a package of relief measures to help the community tide over the difficulties due to the outbreak of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome in Hong Kong. One of the measures proposed is the partial rebate of the 2001/02 final tax on salaries tax and personal assessment.

Under the proposal, all taxpayers liable to salaries tax and personal assessment will receive a refund of 50% of the 2001/02 final tax paid by August, subject to a cap of $3,000 per case.

The one-off tax rebate seeks to provide relief to the public to ease the short-term impact of the outbreak of the syndrome. Over 1.3 million taxpayers will benefit. The total refund under salaries tax and personal assessment will amount to approximately $2.3 billion. More than 700,000 taxpayers will receive a tax refund of 50% of the 2001/02 final tax paid. The remaining ones will receive a tax refund of $3,000.

The proposal requires legislative amendments to effect. The Administration will introduce the necessary subsidiary legislation to the Legislative Council as soon as possible. A spokesman for the Inland Revenue Department said that to ensure that the refund cheques can be issued at the earliest possible time, intensive preparation is being made by the Department. It includes the enhancement of computer system and the ordering of refund notices and cheques. The Commissioner of Inland Revenue will announce the administrative arrangements and timeframe for the tax rebate on May 2 (Friday).

Examples on how to calculate the tax rebate are available on the Department's website (http://www.info.gov.hk/ird) or fax hotline 2598 6001.

End/Thursday, April 24, 2003

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