NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN
Registry No.
HKK 5/3-1970
DRAFT SAVING DESPATCH
Type 1 +
SRITY CLASSIFICATION
From
Top Secret.
Secret.
Confidential.
Restricted.
Unclassified.
PRIVACY MARKING
In Confidence
(66
(75)
To:-
GOVERNOR,
HONG KONG
Telephone No. & Ext.
Department
Your Saving despatch No. 544 of 8 May, 1970
reference CR.169/65 V.
Night Work for Women
1. It is regretted that the further details of
the Vauxhall Motors Agreement on the above subject,
requested in your saving despatch No. 544, are not
available. However, an outline of the legal
position, under which the Agreement was made, has
been provided by the Department of Employment and
Productivity and may be of use to you:
"The standard restrictions on women's hours of
work in the Factories Act, 1961 inter alia have
the effect of prohibiting both double day shift
work and night work. However, it is possible to
escape these prohibitions.
Section 97 of the Act empowers the Secretary
of State to authorise the working of a double
day shift within certain limits. Such authority
requires a secret ballot of workers except in
the case of a new factory; it is usually of
indefinite duration.
Under Section 117 of the Act the Secretary
of State has a much wider power of dispensation
for the purpose of maintaining or increasing
efficiency. After "such consultations as he
may think appropriate" (this does not mene a
secret ballot) he may make a special exemption
(118281) Dd. 391599 1,500M 2/69 Hw.
13.3