real wages of workers in the manufacturing industries have
risen by an average of 5.7 per cent per annum. A wide-
ranging legislative programme, including an Industrial
Relations Act and the establishment of Labour Courts, is under
consideration.
Request for Loan from HMG for extension of Airport
8.
The difficulties in the way of granting a loan for the
development of the airport have been explained to the Hong
Kong Government.
Britain's Entry into EEC
9. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary did not discuss this
matter during his visit since it had previously been examined
during the visit in September of my honourable Friend the
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.
Confrontation Prisoners
10. The sentences of the sick prisoners recently released
/the
were remitted by the Governor on humanitarian grounds under his
prerogative powers conferred by the Letters Patent.
Link between Confrontation Prisoners in Hong Kong and British
Subjects detained in China.
11.
ト
Just as we are concerned about British subjects detained
in China, so have the Chinese expressed concern to us about the
Communists serving prison sentences in Hong Kong. But I must
make it clear that the sentences of long term prisoners are
remitted solely in accordance with the normal procedure under
prison rules for the review of prisoners serving long term
sentences.
This procedure does not affect the use of the
Governor's prerogative powers.
Governaship
12. The announcement that Mr. C. M. MacLehose, presently
Ambassador in Copenhagen, is to be the next Governor of
/Hong