Dd.156229 Gp.863
La.
PARLIAMENTARY QUESTION
for WRITTEN answer on
Hong Kong
The draft reply should reach the Parliamentary Office through your Under-Secretary by
Not Thesday 1412
Mr. James Johnson (Kingston-upon-Hull, West): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he is aware of the exploitation of child labour in Hong Kong, particularly the child slavery in the colony's tea houses; and what action he is proposing following the recent labour department
survey.
18th December 1969
Mr. Evan Luand
Spackag
There is no slavery in Hong Kong.s of course illegal in the
Colony
There was in August a special campaign against the unlawful
employment in industry of children under fourteen. As a result
prosecutions were mounted against the proprietors of 298 undertakings,
Law enforcement measures will continue to be vigorously pursued.
The Hong Kong Government share
our
my concern that there should be
It is diff
is difficult to devise and
no exploitation of child labour.
enforce measures of control outside industry, for example in family
businesses and among those engaged in itinerant trading. I am aware
of the tradition of employing young persons in Chinese tea houses to
carry round trays of delicacies. There are regular twice yearly
surveys of employees in such establishments. This is a problem that
is gradually diminishing with general changes in social habits.
17/12.