Registry
No.
SECURITY CLASSIFICATION
DRAFT
To:-
Type 1 +
From
Top Secret. Secret.
Confidential.
Restricted. Unclassified.
PRIVACY MARKING
In Confidence
CHUNG Wah-Leung, Esq., President,
Hong Kong Chinese Civil Servants Association, HONG KONG.
Sir,
Telephone No. & Ext.
Department
I am directed by the Secretary of State for Foreign
and Commonwealth Affairs to refer to your Association's
petition to Her Majesty The Queen dated 28 November,
1969, and to inform you that the points you have raised
about equal pay for women have been given careful
consideration.
The Secretary of State has noted that the Hong
Kong Government announced in 1966 that its policy with
regard to equal pay for women in the Public Service
would be that where men and women were doing identical
work, or similar work of virtually equal value, both
should be paid the same salary, and that this policy
would be implemented in accordance with a phased
programme extending over a reasonable period of time
not exceeding ten years. He has also noted that in
October 1969 the Hong Kong Government, with the
agreement of the Staff Side of the Senior Civil Service
Council, issued an Establishment Circular announcing
the details of the first stage of a scheme providing
for the introduction of equal pay for women in the
Public Service by annual stages over the period from
1 April, 1969, to 1 April, 1975.
He understands
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He understands that the Hong Kong
Government has also given assurances to the
Staff Side of the Senior Civil Service
Council that any future decisions about equal
pay for women serving in those grades which
have been deferred from inclusion in the
scheme will be implemented retrospectively from
the 1st April, 1969; that serving officers
(men and women) will be permitted to proceed
along their respective existing salary scales,
if they so desire, when and if new salary
scales differing from existing scales are
introduced (although this does not
necessarily mean that they will retain a
right to existing salary scales on promotion
to a higher grade); and that women serving on
existing salary scales which eventually meet
those of their male counterparts under the
old "gradual parity" scheme will be permitted
to continue to proceed along their existing
salary scales.
The Petition has been laid before
Her Majesty but, in view of these practical
demonstrations of the Hong Kong Government's
intention to carry out its policy with regard
to equal pay for women in the Public Service,
felt
the Secretary of State was unable to advise
Her Majesty that there was any reason for
intervention in this matter.
I am,
etc.
age 9
age 9
Hong bóng (2
12
Киінні
En
20 pril, 1970.
29/4
I enclose a Petition addressed to The Queen by the song Song Chinese Civil Servants Association on the subject of equal pay for women e.,loyees of the Hong Kong Government.
The Governor has recommended that The Queen be advised that there is no reason for intervention in this matter. The Foreign and Colonye (7th Secretary supports that recommendation and proposes to direct the Governor to reply to the petitioners in the terms of the enclosed draft letter.
13
Lt. Col. The Hon. ir Martin Charteris,
...V.D., C.R., V.R.D.,
Buckingham Valace.
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