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Written Answers
Written Answers
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These measures have already achieved outstanding successes in 1974. Up to the present, 4,508 kilograms of opium pro- ducts with a retail value of HK$ 71·4 mil- lion have been seized and five heroin re- fineries have been discovered. Drugs are now in short supply in Hong Kong and prices are at their highest level ever. Good progress has also been made in breaking up drug syndicates and this pressure will be continued.
8 NOVEMBER 1974 White Paper, on secondary education in Hong Kong over the next decade, tabled in the Legislative Council on 16th Octo- ber, firm plans have been proposed for the expansion of junior secondary forms one to three to provide places for 100 per cent. of children in the age group 12 to 14, and for 40 per cent. of the age group 15 to 16 in forms four and five by September 1979. The Director of Educa- tion has statutory powers to order atten- dance at a primary school, but it is not proposed to make secondary education compulsory at this stage. Although secondary level education is not free, it is heavily subsidised and fee remission arrangements are in force which are designed to ensure that no child is denied secondary education on financial grounds.
Mr. Sillars asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proportions of Hong Kong's gross national product are currently devoted to public sector housing, education, social welfare, railway system development, air- port development, water storage, and tourist development, respectively.
Mr. Ennals: Proportions of the gross domestic product represented by public spending in 1974-75 will be housing 2 per cent., education 3 per cent., social wel- fare 0-6 per cent., railway less than 0.5 per cent.. airport development 0.5 per cent., water 1.6 per cent., tourist development, negligible.
Mr. Sillars asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in the light of the forecast by the Hong Kong Commissioner for Narcotics that within the next few years the colony will succeed in bringing its hard drugs prob- lem under control, if he will indicate any new measures introduced to achieve this objective.
Mr. Ennals : Hong Kong is co- operating with the United Nations, Inter- pol, and other countries in the region in tackling the narcotics problem. Two specific measures have already produced good results. These are, first, the post- ing of a liaison officer from the Hong Kong police to the British Embassy in Bangkok in November 1973 for the pur- pose of improving the flow of information from those countries which are the source of drugs entering Hong Kong. Secondly, the Narcotics Bureau has been recon- structed and its priorities reassessed.
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The Action Committee Against Nar- cotics (ACAN) will shortly be consider- ing plans to increase drug treatment and rehabilitation services, to enable them to handle about 15,000 addicts each year and by 1980 their capacity should be in emphasis is also being placed on public the vicinity of 35,000. Increased
education.
These and other measures should substantially reduce the illicit drug trade in the next few years.
Mr. Sillars asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the estimated value of Hong Kong's gross domestic product in 1973; and what this yielded in per capita income.
Mr. Ennals: The figures, respectively, are HK$28,335 million at current market prices, and HK$6,811, also at current market prices.
Immigrants' Spouses
Mr. Ovenden asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth interviews in respect of spouses of United Affairs what are waiting times for entry
Kingdom citizens at the British High High Commission in Dacca, and the Commission in New Delhi, the British
British Embassy in Islamabad; and it he will make a statement on any proposals he has to reduce these periods.
Mr. Ennals: Cu 30th September, the latest convenient date for which records are available, the waiting period between the date on which an application for a settlement entry certificate is received- from a person normally resident within the posts area of responsibility—and the date of interview by the entry certificate officer was 12 months in Delhi, three years in Dacca and 20 months in Islamabad We are concerned at the delay between the date of application and interview which has been building up over several
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