CONFIDENTIAL
LKK 307 1548/1
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Mr Cortazzi
PS/Lord Goronwy-Roberts
HONG KONG GRANADA TV PROGRAMLE WORLD IN ACTION"
1. The Granada TV series "World in Action" broadcast a pro ranne on child labour in Hong Kong on 13 December. It was entitlad "Made in Hong Kong" and concentrated, seasonably enough, on the toy industry, The department has delayed submitting on this watter until first reactions to the programme were available.
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2. The general consensus among the members of the department who watched the film was that while it set out to be highly critical of Hong Kong alleged toleration of illegal chil: labour by the Government, inadequate fines imposed by the courte for child labour offences, failure to enforce safety measures and to pay proper compensation for industrial injuries etc - it was not as damaging as advance information about the programma had suggested. In a number of instances the film lacked credibility. Thus, for example, pictures of employees arriving for wort a factory were taken at long-range since, the viewer wEs to, the cameramen were not allowed near because of "tight security". The faces of some of those interviewed were blacked out because
It wa idantification could have led to "fear of reprisals'. asserted that camerus had to be concealed in factories in order to outain pictures of children, that children at work were hidden in places where they would not be found by visiting labour inspectors, and that warning systems were installed in stories None of *..ese to give notice of impending visits by inspectors. assertions were substantiated. In fact, the programe proced little evidence of child labour in industrial establishments: there were two scanes only of children at work in factories. It was not stated that the children in question were below the age of 14, the legal limit for employment in industrial establishments. On the other hand, there were a number of victures
CONFIDENTIAL