Money Lender Statistics
Dear Hong Kong Police Force Crime Wing,
On 26 September 2019, the Consumer Council published a report on the money lendering industry titled "Money Lending — Reforming Law and Trade Practices for Consumer Protection". This report and related documents are published here: https://www.consumer.org.hk/ws_en/compet...
Within the 26 September 2019 report, it was suggested that for "the purpose of fostering good practice by money lenders, the Council also proposes that enforcement statistics be published regularly in order to enhance regulatory transparency, such statistics to include but not limited to the number of objections made, licences revoked/suspended and the reasons for so doing, the number of warnings/advisory letters issued and the number of complaints received etc."
In light of the above, I would like clarification over whether this information has been published. If the information has not been published I would like to request the following data:
1.) The number of objections made by the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF) in 2019 and 2020 (up to present day).
2.) The number of licenses revoked/suspended and the reasons for doing so in 2019 and 2020 (up to present day).
3.) The number of warnings/advisory letters issued in 2019 and 2020 (up to present day).
4.) The number of complaints receipts in 2019 and 2020 (up to present day) and if available and categorisation of the reasons for complaint, such as whether the complaint related to the Money Lenders Ordinance, Money Lenders Regulations, or Licensing Conditions for Money Lenders.
Thank you for your consideration.
Yours faithfully,
Taylor Amarel
Dear Mr. Taylor AMAREL,
I refer to your Application for Access to Information dated 2020-05-01.
We are still processing your application and reply you once it is ready.
For enquiry, please contact officer of the Police Licensing Office at 2860
6527 during office hours. Thanks.
Yours faithfully,
( HANG Wing-sum, Claudia )
forCommissioner of Police
*** This e-mail message (together with any attachments) is for the
designated recipient only. It may contain information that is privileged.
If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any
use, retention, disclosure, copying, printing, forwarding or dissemination
of the message is strictly prohibited. If you have received the message in
error, please erase all copies of the message (including attachments) from
your system and notify the sender immediately. ***
*** 此電郵訊息(連同任何附件)只發送給指定收件人。訊息可能包含享有特權資料。
謹此通知，如你並非預定收件人，嚴禁使用、保留、披露、複製、列印、轉發或發布
此訊息。如收到誤發的訊息，請把訊息的所有副本(包括附件)從系統內清除，並立即
通知發件人。***
"Taylor Amarel" To: "FOI requests at Hong
<[FOI #473 email]> Kong Police Force Crime
Wing"
<[Hong Kong Police Force Crime Wing request email]>
2020/05/01 22:14 Cc:
Subject: Freedom of Information
request - Money Lender
Reference: Statistics
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Hong Kong Police Force Crime Wing,
On 26 September 2019, the Consumer Council published a report on the money
lendering industry titled "Money Lending — Reforming Law and Trade
Practices for Consumer Protection". This report and related documents are
published here:
[1]https://www.consumer.org.hk/ws_en/compet...
Within the 26 September 2019 report, it was suggested that for "the
purpose of fostering good practice by money lenders, the Council also
proposes that enforcement statistics be published regularly in order to
enhance regulatory transparency, such statistics to include but not
limited to the number of objections made, licences revoked/suspended and
the reasons for so doing, the number of warnings/advisory letters issued
and the number of complaints received etc."
In light of the above, I would like clarification over whether this
information has been published. If the information has not been published
I would like to request the following data:
1.) The number of objections made by the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF) in
2019 and 2020 (up to present day).
2.) The number of licenses revoked/suspended and the reasons for doing so
in 2019 and 2020 (up to present day).
3.) The number of warnings/advisory letters issued in 2019 and 2020 (up to
present day).
4.) The number of complaints receipts in 2019 and 2020 (up to present day)
and if available and categorisation of the reasons for complaint, such as
whether the complaint related to the Money Lenders Ordinance, Money
Lenders Regulations, or Licensing Conditions for Money Lenders.
Thank you for your consideration.
Yours faithfully,
Taylor Amarel
-------------------------------------------------------------------
This is a request under the Code of Access to Information facilitated via
the accessinfo.hk website.
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #473 email]
Is [Hong Kong Police Force Crime Wing request email] the wrong address for Freedom of Information
requests to Hong Kong Police Force Crime Wing? If so, please contact us
using this form:
[2]https://accessinfo.hk/en/change_request/...
Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
[3]https://accessinfo.hk/en/help/officers
If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web
manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
References
Visible links
1. https://www.consumer.org.hk/ws_en/compet...
2. https://accessinfo.hk/en/change_request/...
3. https://accessinfo.hk/en/help/officers
Dear Mr. Taylor AMAREL,
I refer to your Application for Access to Information dated 2020-05-01.
We are still processing your application and reply you once it is ready.
For enquiry, please contact officer of the Police Licensing Office at 2860
6527 during office hours. Thanks.
Yours faithfully,
( HANG Wing-sum, Claudia )
forCommissioner of Police
*** This e-mail message (together with any attachments) is for the
designated recipient only. It may contain information that is privileged.
If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any
use, retention, disclosure, copying, printing, forwarding or dissemination
of the message is strictly prohibited. If you have received the message in
error, please erase all copies of the message (including attachments) from
your system and notify the sender immediately. ***
*** 此電郵訊息(連同任何附件)只發送給指定收件人。訊息可能包含享有特權資料。
謹此通知，如你並非預定收件人，嚴禁使用、保留、披露、複製、列印、轉發或發布
此訊息。如收到誤發的訊息，請把訊息的所有副本(包括附件)從系統內清除，並立即
通知發件人。***
eo-licensing/LICENSING/STATION/POLICE/HKSARG To: [FOI #473 email]
2020/05/08 10:14 Cc:
Subject: Re: Freedom of Information request -
Money Lender Statistics
Reference:
Dear Hong Kong Police Force Crime Wing,
On 26 September 2019, the Consumer Council published a report on the money
lendering industry titled "Money Lending — Reforming Law and Trade
Practices for Consumer Protection". This report and related documents are
published here:
[1]https://www.consumer.org.hk/ws_en/compet...
Within the 26 September 2019 report, it was suggested that for "the
purpose of fostering good practice by money lenders, the Council also
proposes that enforcement statistics be published regularly in order to
enhance regulatory transparency, such statistics to include but not
limited to the number of objections made, licences revoked/suspended and
the reasons for so doing, the number of warnings/advisory letters issued
and the number of complaints received etc."
In light of the above, I would like clarification over whether this
information has been published. If the information has not been published
I would like to request the following data:
1.) The number of objections made by the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF) in
2019 and 2020 (up to present day).
2.) The number of licenses revoked/suspended and the reasons for doing so
in 2019 and 2020 (up to present day).
3.) The number of warnings/advisory letters issued in 2019 and 2020 (up to
present day).
4.) The number of complaints receipts in 2019 and 2020 (up to present day)
and if available and categorisation of the reasons for complaint, such as
whether the complaint related to the Money Lenders Ordinance, Money
Lenders Regulations, or Licensing Conditions for Money Lenders.
Thank you for your consideration.
Yours faithfully,
Taylor Amarel
-------------------------------------------------------------------
This is a request under the Code of Access to Information facilitated via
the accessinfo.hk website.
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #473 email]
Is [Hong Kong Police Force Crime Wing request email] the wrong address for Freedom of Information
requests to Hong Kong Police Force Crime Wing? If so, please contact us
using this form:
[2]https://accessinfo.hk/en/change_request/...
Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
[3]https://accessinfo.hk/en/help/officers
If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web
manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
References
Visible links
1. https://www.consumer.org.hk/ws_en/compet...
2. https://accessinfo.hk/en/change_request/...
3. https://accessinfo.hk/en/help/officers
Dear Sir,
Thank you for your email dated 2020-05-01.
Currently, the Licensing Court, the Police and the Money Lenders Unit
(MLU) of the Companies Registry have respective roles to play under the
regulatory regime for money lenders. The Licensing Court is responsible
for the determination of applications for and granting of money lender
licences as well as the imposition of licensing conditions. The Police
are responsible for enforcing the Money Lenders Ordinance (MLO), including
examination of applications for money lender licences and renewal of
licences, and investigating complaints against money lenders, particularly
when crimes are associated. The MLU is responsible for processing
applications for money lender licences, maintaining a register of money
lenders for public inspection, as well as adopting risk-based supervisory
measures to monitor licensed money lenders' compliance with the MLO and
the conditions imposed by the Licensing Court when carrying on their money
lending business.
Between 2019 and the present day, the Police have raised objection to four
applications for money lenders licence.
The Police do not have the number of licences revoked/suspended. In
accordance with paragraph 1.14 of the Code on Access to Information (the
Code), departments are not obliged to acquire information not in their
possession. You may approach Companies Registry for the relevant
information.
The Police also do not maintain the number of warning letter/advisory
letters issued or statistics of complaints in relation to licensed money
lenders, and resources have to be diverted from other more urgent work for
the compilation of the said statistic because of the large volume of
information involved. Therefore, the information you requested cannot be
disclosed for reasons set out in paragraph 2.9(d) of the Code, ie.
Information which could only be made available by unreasonable diversion
of a department's resources.
You may ask the HKPF to review the situation regarding the above reply.
If you believe that the HKPF has failed to properly apply any provision
of the Code, you may wish to lodge a complaint to the Ombudsman at the
following address –
The Ombudsman
30/F, China Merchants Tower,
Shun Tak Centre,
168-200 Connaught Road Central,
Hong Kong
Telephone: (852) 2629 0555
Fax: (852) 2882 8149
For enquiry, please contact us at 2860 3574 during office hours.
Yours faithfully,
( HANG Wing-sum, Claudia )
forCommissioner of Police
*** This e-mail message (together with any attachments) is for the
designated recipient only. It may contain information that is privileged.
If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any
use, retention, disclosure, copying, printing, forwarding or dissemination
of the message is strictly prohibited. If you have received the message in
error, please erase all copies of the message (including attachments) from
your system and notify the sender immediately. ***
*** 此電郵訊息(連同任何附件)只發送給指定收件人。訊息可能包含享有特權資料。
謹此通知，如你並非預定收件人，嚴禁使用、保留、披露、複製、列印、轉發或發布
此訊息。如收到誤發的訊息，請把訊息的所有副本(包括附件)從系統內清除，並立即
通知發件人。***
eo-licensing/LICENSING/STATION/POLICE/HKSARG To: [FOI #473 email]
2020/05/21 17:31 Cc:
Subject: Re: Freedom of Information request -
Money Lender Statistics
Reference:
Dear Mr. Taylor AMAREL,
I refer to your Application for Access to Information dated 2020-05-01.
We are still processing your application and reply you once it is ready.
For enquiry, please contact officer of the Police Licensing Office at 2860
6527 during office hours. Thanks.
Yours faithfully,
( HANG Wing-sum, Claudia )
forCommissioner of Police
*** This e-mail message (together with any attachments) is for the
designated recipient only. It may contain information that is privileged.
If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any
use, retention, disclosure, copying, printing, forwarding or dissemination
of the message is strictly prohibited. If you have received the message in
error, please erase all copies of the message (including attachments) from
your system and notify the sender immediately. ***
*** 此電郵訊息(連同任何附件)只發送給指定收件人。訊息可能包含享有特權資料。
謹此通知，如你並非預定收件人，嚴禁使用、保留、披露、複製、列印、轉發或發布
此訊息。如收到誤發的訊息，請把訊息的所有副本(包括附件)從系統內清除，並立即
通知發件人。***
"Taylor Amarel" To: "FOI requests at Hong
<[FOI #473 email]> Kong Police Force Crime
Wing"
<[Hong Kong Police Force Crime Wing request email]>
2020/05/01 22:14 Cc:
Subject: Freedom of Information
request - Money Lender
Reference: Statistics
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Hong Kong Police Force Crime Wing,
On 26 September 2019, the Consumer Council published a report on the money
lendering industry titled "Money Lending — Reforming Law and Trade
Practices for Consumer Protection". This report and related documents are
published here:
[1]https://www.consumer.org.hk/ws_en/compet...
Within the 26 September 2019 report, it was suggested that for "the
purpose of fostering good practice by money lenders, the Council also
proposes that enforcement statistics be published regularly in order to
enhance regulatory transparency, such statistics to include but not
limited to the number of objections made, licences revoked/suspended and
the reasons for so doing, the number of warnings/advisory letters issued
and the number of complaints received etc."
In light of the above, I would like clarification over whether this
information has been published. If the information has not been published
I would like to request the following data:
1.) The number of objections made by the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF) in
2019 and 2020 (up to present day).
2.) The number of licenses revoked/suspended and the reasons for doing so
in 2019 and 2020 (up to present day).
3.) The number of warnings/advisory letters issued in 2019 and 2020 (up to
present day).
4.) The number of complaints receipts in 2019 and 2020 (up to present day)
and if available and categorisation of the reasons for complaint, such as
whether the complaint related to the Money Lenders Ordinance, Money
Lenders Regulations, or Licensing Conditions for Money Lenders.
Thank you for your consideration.
Yours faithfully,
Taylor Amarel
-------------------------------------------------------------------
This is a request under the Code of Access to Information facilitated via
the accessinfo.hk website.
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #473 email]
Is [Hong Kong Police Force Crime Wing request email] the wrong address for Freedom of Information
requests to Hong Kong Police Force Crime Wing? If so, please contact us
using this form:
[2]https://accessinfo.hk/en/change_request/...
Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
[3]https://accessinfo.hk/en/help/officers
If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web
manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
References
Visible links
1. https://www.consumer.org.hk/ws_en/compet...
2. https://accessinfo.hk/en/change_request/...
3. https://accessinfo.hk/en/help/officers
