(H). WHAT PROPORTIONS OF HONG KONG'S GROSS NATIONAL PRODUCT ARE CURRENTLY DEVOTED TO PUBLIC SECTOR HOUSING, EDUCATION, SOCIAL - WELFARE, RAILWAY SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT, AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT, WATER STORAGE, AND TOURIST DEVELOPMENT, RESPECTIVELY:
(1) IN THE LIGHT OF THE FORECAST BY THE HONG KONG COMMISSIONER FOR NARCOTICS THAT WITHIN THE NEXT HEW YEARS THE COLONY WILL SUCCEED IN BRINGING ITS HARD DRUGS PROBLEM UNDER CONTROL, IF HE WILL INDICATE ANY NEW MEASURES INTRODUCED TO ACHIEVE THIS
OBJECTIVE:
(J)
WHAT WAS THE ESTIMATED VALUE OF HONG KONG'S GDP IN 1973:
AND WHAT THIS WELDED IN PER CAPITA INCOME.
2.
WE PROPOSE TO RECOMMEND ANSWERING (A) AS FOLLOWS:
(A) IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO SAY HOW MANY PEOPLE IN HONG KONG HOLD CURRENTLY VALID BRITISH PASSPORTS. ..... PASSPORTS HAVE BEEN ISSUED IN HONG KONG SINCE 1 JANUARY 1965 AND A HIGH PROPORTION OF THESE ARE STILL VALID. ONLY A VERY SMALL NUMBER OF THE HOLDERS OF THESE. PASSPORTS WOULD BE PERMITTED UNIMPEDED ACCESS TO THE UNITED KINGDOM UNDER CURRENT IMMIGRATION LAWS.
3. THE FINANCIAL EXPERTS HAVE PROPOSED THE FOLLOWING ANSWER TO (B) QUOTE. NO FIGURES ARE AVAILABLE FOR THE PROPORTION OF HONG KONG BUDGET SURPLUSES WHICH HAVE BEEN TRANSFERRED TO LONDON. THE LATEST PUBLISHED STATEMENT OF HONG KONG GOVERNMENT ASSETS AND LIABILITIES IS FOR 31 MARCH 1972. AT T..T DATE, OUT OF TOTAL ASSETS OF HK DOLLARS 3,006 M., CASH, FIXED DEPOSITS AND INVESTMENTS IN STERLING WERE SHOWN AT THE EQUIVALENT OF HK DOLLARS 1,844 M. ON THE LIABILITIES SIDE, THE GENERAL REVENUE BALANCE WHICH (PRESUMABLY?) REPRESENTS ACCUMULATED BUDGET SURPLUSES, AMOUNTED TO HK DOLLARS 2,916 M. COMPARABLE FIGURES FOR THE PREVIOUS 8 YEARS WERE AS FOLLOWS:
(PLEASE SUPPLY FIGURES FOR 1964 TO 1971 INCLUSIVE) UNQUOTE. FROM THE POLITICAL SIDE HOWEVER WE WOULD ALSO SEE ADVANTAGE IN NAILING THE LIE THAT HONG KONG'S SURPLUSES ARE SENT TO LONDON FOR THE USE OF HMG. IF YOU AGREE, PERHAPS YOU WOULD SUGGEST A FORM OF WORDS?
2
CONFIDENTIAL
/4. IN VIEW