• Economic outlook is cautiously optimistic. Uncertainties and potential pitfalls remain in the external environment.
• GDP forecast to grow 4-5% for 2010. Headline inflation forecast at 2.3%.
• Consolidated Account in 2010-11 forecast to incur a $25.2 billion deficit. Deficit expected to decrease gradually in next few years, and achieve balance by 2013-14.

• Number of completed private residential units will rise to 14 300 this year. Estimated number of units available in next three to four years is 53 000.

• Depending on market conditions, the Government will put up several urban residential sites in the Application List for sale by auction or tender in the coming two years if they have not been triggered.
• Liaise with the MTRC and Urban Renewal Authority to increase the supply of small and medium-sized residential flats.
• Housing Authority will actively explore means to revitalise the secondary market of Home Ownership Scheme flats.
• Raise stamp duty on transactions of properties valued over $20 million from 3.75% to 4.25%. Buyers will not be allowed to defer stamp duty payment.

• Estimated capital works expenditure will increase to $49.6 billion.
• Earmark $100 million to support the Construction Industry Council’s efforts to improve training and related work.
• Provide land resources, human capital and incentives to promote the four traditional pillar industries and the six industries with clear advantages.
• Extend the stamp duty concession in the trading of exchange traded funds.
• Extend concessionary profits tax rate to cover qualifying debt instruments.
• Allocate $41 million in next two years to support the work of the Hong Kong Council for Testing and Certification and the Hong Kong Accreditation Service.

• Increase recurrent funding for the School-based After-school Learning and Support Programmes to $175 million.
• Grant a full subsidy of $1,300 or half subsidy of $650 on Internet access charges in the 2010 academic year for families in need with children in primary and secondary schools. Complementary services will be provided through a non-profit making organisation.
• Allocate $1 billion for the fifth round of the Matching Grant Scheme for tertiary institutions.
• Inject $500 million into the Language Fund to upgrade proficiency in English and Chinese.

  

• Allocate an additional $500 million for "Operation Building Bright" to help owners maintain their buildings, including dilapidated buildings without owners' corporations.
• Urban Renewal Authority will immediately take forward a redevelopment project near the collapsed building in Ma Tau Wai Road.
  

• Inject $3 billion into the Arts and Sport Development Fund as seed money.
  
  

• Support the development of the West Kowloon Cultural District with an additional $486 million allocated over the next five financial years for art programme development, including a $69 million injection into the Cantonese Opera Development Fund.
• Inject $3 billion into the Beat Drugs Fund, and allocate an additional $52 million in 2010-11 to support anti-drug efforts.

• Provide an additional $1.24 billion to the Hospital Authority (HA) to strengthen services including:
  

– training of nurses

– services for cataract, renal and cancer patients
– incorporating eight more drugs into the HA Drug Formulary and to expand the clinical application of nine drug classes. 38 200 patients will benefit each year.

• Allocate about $600 million in the next three financial years to strengthen primary care services.
• Allocate an additional $40 million to enhance drugs regulation.

• Raise recurrent funding by $160 million to provide over 1 000 additional places in residential care homes for the elderly.
• Earmark $282 million in the Lotteries Fund for pilot schemes on home care for the elderly and disabled as well as a pilot Bought Place Scheme for the disabled.
• Provide additional recurrent funding of $100 million to enhance services for persons with disabilities.
• Enhance medical and community level support for mental patients at a cost of nearly $200 million.
• Inject $200 million into the Partnership Fund for the Disadvantaged.

• Launch a two-year Pilot Employment Navigator Programme with 11 000 places per year. Each eligible person will get a $5,000 cash incentive.
• Launch a programme to provide 12-month training and internships for up to 500 young people with low educational qualifications.

• Pay two months' rent for public housing tenants at a cost of $1.8 billion.
• Provide one more month of CSSA payment, Old Age Allowance and Disability Allowance at a cost of $1.8 billion.
• Reduce 75% of salaries tax and tax under personal assessment for 2009-10, capped at $6,000. This will cost $4.5 billion.
• Waive rates for 2010-11, capped at $1,500 per quarter. Ninety per cent of domestic and 60% of non-domestic properties will not need to pay rates. This will cost $8.6 billion.
• Waive the business registration fee for one year at a cost of $1.8 billion.
• Provide a $1,000 allowance to students receiving CSSA or student financial assistance. This will cost $570 million.