}
HEALTH
3. The Governor of Hong Kong announced, at the opening of the current session of the Legislative Council, the coming into service of a new hospital for 1,200 beds in 1976 and four new hospitals to provide 3,900 more beds by 1983/84. Also, the building of a number of new specialist and general clinics.
CHILD LABOUR IN HONG KONG
4. I would refer my Honourable Friend to the answers that my Honourable Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs gave him on 8 December.
The Hong Kong Government are committed to the elimination o!"
illegal employment of children below the age of 14,, and to
abolish overtime for young persons by four annual stages t
end of 1979.
LABOUR CONDITIONS IN HONG KONG
5.
e
There has been considerable progress in recent years and the Hong Kong Government has set itself a target of achieving a level of legislation governing safety, health and conditions of employment at least broadly equivalent to the best in Asian countries neighbouring Hong Kong whose stage of economic development and social and cultural background are similar to Hong Kong's. It is hoped to achieve this within a period of about five years. A number of legislative proposals were announced by the Governor at the opening of the current se of the Legislative Council: to increase the number of compulsory rest days, annual leave, to improve sickness benefits, severence pay, workman's compensation and to introduce new safety regulations, a compensation scheme for workers suffering from silicosis and other detailed measures.
SOCIAL WELFARE
6.
n
The Governor of Hong Kong announced at the opening session
of the Legislative Council a new scheme for the payment of public assistance for unemployed able-bodied persons under 55, the preparation of new plans for services to the handicapped, elderly and youth, and a comprehensive new social welfare programme to be completed by about the end of 1977 for phasedy implementation starting in 1978.
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