CYPHER/CAT A
IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NUMBER 458
RESTRICTED
COPY
TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
10 JULY 1970
10
RESTRICTED.
Chied to в
HICKI/10 & HKKifly
YOUR TELEGRAM 454. ANSWERS TO LORD SORENSEN'S QUESTIONS ARE:
(1) CONDITION OF HONG KONG
CONTINUES TO BE TRANQUL.
(2) ACCOMMODATION
8
SINCE MARCH 1969, ACCOMMODATION FOR APPROXIMATELY 98,100 PEOPLE
HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY GOVERNMENT AND GOVERNMENT AIDED AGENCIES
AT THE END OF MARCH 1970, A TOTAL OF NEARLY 1,700,000 PEOPLE
(APPROXIMATELY 1/3 OF THE TOTAL POPULATION OF THE COLONY)
WERE HOUSED IN ACCOMMODATION PROVIDED BY GOVERNMENT AND
COVERNMENT AIDED AGENCIES IN RESETTLEMENT ESTATES AND LOW-
COST HOUSING ESTATES. AT THE END OF JUNE 1970, THERE WERE
ESTIMATED TO BE APPROXIMATELY 526,000 SQUATTERS. IT IS
PLANNED TO HOUSE BY 1975, A FURTHER 590,000 PEOPLE IN GOVERNMENT
RESETTLEMENT AND LOW-COST HOUSING ESTATES.
(3) IS ACCOMMODATION PROVIDED BY GOVERNMENT KEEPING PACE
WITH POPULATION INCREASE-YES. CURRENT GROSS RATE OF POPULATION
INCREASE IS UNDER 70,000 P.A.
4) ON CONSTITUTIONAL IMPROVEMENTS'~ THE FUNCTIONS AND STATUS
OF THE URBAN COUNCIL ARE UNDER REVIEW, MY TELNO 457 TO
MONSON IS RELEVANT.
2. PARA 3 OF YOUR TELNO 91 CONFRONTATION PRISONERS ARE
STILL SERVING THEIR SENTENCES.
SIR D. TRENCH
FILES
H.K.DEPT.
F.E.D.
PARLIAMENTARY UNIT
LORD LOTHIAN'S OFFICE MR. WILFORD
RECEIVED IN
REGISTRY No. 51 10JUL 1970
HRR16/15
RESTRICTED