The Subsidy Scheme for Beauty Parlours, Massage Establishments & Party Rooms (BMP Scheme) under the second round of the Anti-epidemic Fund will be open for applications early next month, the Government announced today.

The scheme will largely adopt the arrangement of the Retail Sector Subsidy Scheme (RSSS), under which collection and vetting of applications will be conducted through an online platform.

Beneficiaries of the BMP Scheme have been ordered to close pursuant to the Prevention & Control of Disease (Requirements & Directions) (Business & Premises) Regulation.

A one-off tiered subsidy will be paid to each eligible beauty parlour or massage establishment depending on its scale of operation, at $30,000, $60,000 and $100,000 respectively; while a one-off subsidy of $40,000 will be paid to each eligible party room.

About 8,400 beauty parlours and massage establishments as well as about 500 party rooms are expected to benefit from the BMP Scheme.

Meanwhile, the Government noted that over $1.5 billion in subsidies have been approved for eligible retailers under the RSSS of the first round of the Anti-epidemic Fund, involving more than 19,000 applications.

About 93,000 applications were received within the scheme’s three-week application period, and disbursement of subsidies to approved applicants has already commenced since April 9.

Chief Secretary for Administration and Anti-epidemic Fund Steering Committee Chairman Matthew Cheung said the Government has been striving to speed up the implementation of the measures under the fund.

“We were able to launch the RSSS within one month after the Legislative Council approved the setting up of the fund, providing timely relief to retailers hit by the epidemic.

“The Government will apply the experience gained during the implementation of the RSSS in ensuring the early launch of the BMP Scheme, with a view to helping tide BMPs over during this challenging period."