PRESS RELEASE

(Source : Government Information Centre)
 

Services delivered within targeted times

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The Inland Revenue Department (IRD) had delivered nearly all its pledged services within targeted times during the year ended March 31, 2001, said the Acting Commissioner of Inland Revenue, Mrs Alice Lau Mak Yee-ming.

Reviewing the department's performance last year, Mrs Lau thanked taxpayers who had shown understanding on the infrequent occasions when the level of service delivered fell short of the standard pledged. "The pledge of issuing receipts for electronic payments enhanced in 2000/2001 was well received by the public. Some 850,000 electronic payments were received during the year and all the receipts were issued within targeted times," she said.

Mrs Lau attributed the IRD's achievement to the concerted efforts of her staff in providing high quality services to taxpayers. In the days to come, the staff of the IRD will continue striving to meet the goal set by the IRD's new slogan "All efforts pooled, Excellent outcome ensured".

In the drive for continuous improvements, the Department has from April 2001 enhanced the service levels of six pledged items. In addition, the Department is actively revamping its homepage so as to enhance accessibility and user-friendliness.

"An application for extracts of information from business register can now be processed in two working days, which is a marked improvement from the previous standard of four working days, " Mrs Lau said.

She also said that an independent Users' Committee, with a broadly based membership drawn from academics, professionals and tax practitioners, had been established to monitor the Department's performance against its pledges.

The IRD's 2001/2002 performance pledge and 2000/2001 performance pledge annual report are accessible on the IRD website (https://www.info.gov.hk/ird). Copies are also available for collection at IRD offices and the Public Enquiry Service Centres of District Offices.

In appreciation of the excellent service the staff provides to their customers, the IRD will hold its 2001 Best Customer Service Awards presentation ceremony on 27 June 2001. In the ceremony, the IRD Users' Committee members will present prizes to 16 individual winners and winning teams

The 2001 Best Customer Service Awards Competition drew enthusiastic participation from IRD staff and the public. Members of the public who had received front-line services cast record high votes of 37,000.

End/Sunday, June 24, 2001

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