GRS 450
IMMEDIATE
CYPHER CAT/A
C
CONFIDENTIAL
Original at: HKK 100/4
This Copy for: HKK012/58/3
Information only/Action on Para(s)
5.
LAST
REF.
NEXT
REF.
68
FM HONG KONG 151040Z
CONFIDENTIAL
TO IMMEDIATE F C O TELEGRAM NO 1150 OF 15 NOVEMBER
INFO PEKING AND HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON (F C O PASS).
YOUR, TELEGRAM NO 910
ANTHONY ROYLE.
PARLAMENTARY QUESTIONS BY SIR
INFORMATION ON WHICH TO BASE REPLIES TO THESE QUESTIONS IS
AS FOLLOWS:
(1) THE INCREASE OF GDP IN REAL TERMS OF 1975 OVER 1974 WAS 3%. THE ESTIMATED INCREASE OF 1976 OVER 1975 IS BETWEEN 13-19%.
2) THE GOVERNMENT WILL MAKE AVAILABLE BY SEPTEMBER 1978 . SUFFICIENT SECONDARY EDUCATION PLACES FOR ALL PRIMARY SCHOOL LEAVERS. IN SEPTEMBER 1976 THERE WERE 216,365 SUBSIDISED SECONDARY EDUCATION PLACES, AN INCREASE OF 11,500 OVER THE PREVIOUS YEAR. BY SEPTEMBER 1978, A FURTHER 45 NEW SECONDARY SCHOOLS, PROVIDING A TOTAL OF 48,100 PLACES, AND A FURTHER 22 NEW PRIMARY SCHOOLS WILL HAVE BEEN COMPLETED.
3) THE GOVERNMENT PLANS TO BUILD ADDITIONAL PUBLIC HOUSING FOR ABOUT 1 1/2 MILLION PEOPLE BY 1984/85, BY WHICH TIME DECENT SELF-CONTAINED HOUSING, AT HEAVILY SUBSIDISED RENT, WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR THE MAJORITY OF LOWER INCOME FAMILIES. HOWEVER, THERE WILL STILL BE A NEED FOR MORE PUBLIC HOUSING TO BE BUILT AFTER 1984/85 TO COMPLETE THE PROCESS OF REDEVELOPING THE OLDER
PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES.
ABOUT 2 MILLION PEOPLE, OR 45% OF THE POPULATION NOW LIVE IN SUBSIDISED HOUSING. THIS PERCENTAGE IS EXPECTED TO RISE TO 65% IN 1984/85. EVERY ENCOURAGEMENT IS BEING GIVEN TO THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO BUILD AND TO DEVELOP SELF-CONTAINED HOUSING FOR THE
BETTER-OFF FAMILIES IN HONG KONG.
*
THE GOVERNMENT