Mr. Foggon
Соре
Reference.
361
We have two Parliamentary Questions on labour matters for written answer the replies to which must reach the Parliamentary Office by noon to-morrow. I give the texts below.
To ask the
"Mr. Ernest Thornton (Farnworth):
Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many prosecutions were effected in Hong Kong in 1968 for violations of the labour ordinance in respect of employing women and young persons for seven days per week.
"Mr. Ernest Thornton (Farnworth): To ask the
Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many male textile workers in Hong Kong work seven days per week continuously throughout the year.'
The answer to the first question will be a matter of fact and I have sent a telegram to Hong Kong. I would propose to confine the answer to the simple statement of the number of prosecutions. Presumably
we could explan it by also giving the number of convictions (provided Hong Kong gives us this information) but I would not think that to be
| necessary.
The answer to the second question, sbout which I have also telegraphed Hong Kong, would strictly be "None" *
Of course many adult male textile workers do a seven day week but not, I understand, "continuously throughout the year" on account of statutory holidays. I should be grateful for any suggestions you can offer but, subject to Hong Kong's advice, I was thinking of a reply along these lines:-
"There are
adult male textile workers in Hong Kong and there is no legal bar to any of them working a seven day week. But they do not do so continuously throughout the year on account of statutory holidays. Theoretically an adult male can work 359 days a year but in practice this does not happen because time off up to four days in any one month is permitted without loss of normal earnings. In addition it is customary to grant unpaid leave on request."
"
23 July, 1969
No
(H. H. Stewart)
Hong Kong Department
autwa
Eat.