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Publications and Press Releases :
Press Release
: News Archives
IRD strives for service improvement
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The Inland Revenue Department (IRD)
has achieved the target in most of its performance pledges in 2004-05.
It has also excelled in some of the targeted performances.
These results were most encouraging,
especially in the light of the Government's expenditure reduction
programme and manpower cut, the Commissioner of Inland Revenue,
Mrs Alice Lau Mak Yee-ming said today (June 29).
Announcing the IRD's performance
in 2004-05, Mrs Lau expressed heartfelt thanks to taxpayers for
their support of the department. In particular, she was grateful
for the public's tolerance and understanding at times when the service
was inadequate. She also attributed IRD's achievement to all staff
who had shown unflagging support for the department's mission of
providing courteous and effective services to the taxpaying public.
Mrs Lau said the department pledged to continue serving the public
better by providing more varied and better quality services.
In the drive for continuous improvement,
the IRD has, from April 2005, enhanced the service levels of four
pledged items. "An application for certified extracts of information
from the business register can now be processed in one working day,
which is a marked improvement from the previous standard of two
working days. The department has also enhanced the system for e-filing
of individual tax return and added new functions like 'Pre-filling
of data' and 'Estimation of salaries tax payable'.
"Coupled with an extension
of time limit by two weeks, it is hoped that taxpayers can be encouraged
to file their tax returns electronically. We are pleased to note
the growing popularity of the IRD's e-services," Mrs Lau said.
She also thanked members of the IRD
Users' Committee, an independent body comprising of professionals
and academics, for the contributions they made in monitoring and
enhancing the department's performance.
At today's presentation ceremony
for IRD's 2005 Outstanding Customer Service Awards, committee members
presented prizes to 36 individual and group winners chosen by taxpayers.
"A taxpayer's vote means support and encouragement which motivates
us to do even better," Mrs Lau said.
The IRD's 2005-06 performance pledge
and 2004-05 performance pledge annual report are accessible on the
IRD web site (www.ird.gov.hk).
Copies are also available for collection at IRD offices and the
Public Enquiry Service Centres of District Offices.
Ends/Wednesday, June 29, 2005
Issued at HKT 16:03
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