House of Lords Debate on Dependent Territories
12 January, 1971
Hong Kong
Housing
1. About 1.7 million people (40 per cent of the total population) live in Government and Government-aided housing. The Hong Kong Government are fully aware, however, that there is much more to be done and they have plans to house or re-hous
a further 528,000 people over the next six years. Three factors in particular have contributed to the difficulties the Hong Kong authorities have had to contend with in their efforts to overcome the Colony's housing problem continued immigratio over the years, a high birthrate (which has, however, been falling over the last decade), and movement out of overcrowded
tenements into modern accommodation.
Education
2.
The Hong Kong Government have recently announced that, in the generality of Government and aided primary schools, the existing small primary school fee will be entirely done away with early in 1971. The Government are also considering the
introduction of legislation to deal with parents who appear to be unnecessarily withholding their children from primary
school.
3. In the field of higher education, progress has continued in the development of the two Universities; approval has been given for an increase in the number of students from 4,900 in the academic year 1969/70 to 6,000 in the year 1973/74. The Morrison Hill Technical Institute has recently been completed, and the Government is looking into proposals for more
institutes of this kind.
4. In the current financial year about 20 per cent of total Government expenditure is devoted to education.
Public Assistance
5.
An official of the British Government has been seconded to Hong Kong to advise and assist in the introduction of a new
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