CONFIDENTIAL
19
Mr Murray
PS/Lord
rd Goronwy-Roberts
HONG KONG LABOUR CONDITIONS
1.
HRK 212/5
RECEIVED IN REL/STRY HO. 51 16 AUG 1978
DISK OFFICER
INDEX
PA
пиш
AL
Action Taken
25
No new QE
You asked me to set down on paper the steps taken to contact Mr Cryer in order to explain to him the need for a statement retract- ing his allegation that workers in Hong Kong are "grossly exploited".
2.
Department of Industry officials were fully seized with the need to get in touch with Mr Cryer urgently as soon as we and they learnt that the matter had got into the Hong Kong press and a question had been tabled in LegCo. I should perhaps have explained earlier that Mr Cryer's Private Secretary did not merely speak to the Minister on the telephone. She went to France to see him at his holiday address. She brought with her copies of Lord Goronwy-Roberts' letter of 3 August (which Mr Cryer had already seen) and of the statement which it was proposed he should make. She also explained why the statement was required urgently. The Private Secretary told us on her return that Mr Cryer had declined to allow any statement on these lines to be issued in his name on the ground that he was not convinced that what he had said was incorrect.
15 August 1978
Revandum
R JT McLaren
Hong Kong and General Department
afternoon
This was
discussed
ata meeting with hard Goronwy - Roberts
- hord Goronwy - Roberts
Hris
Said
1424
he
would
consider
how
best to take
up
the question
with
the Cryer when
The
Latter hat
replied to his letter of
1 August
CONFIDENTIAL
per
15/Vi