XN000022-1978-06-02 — Page 2

FRIDAY, JUNE 2, 1978

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SECRETARY OF STATE FOR SOCIAL SERVICES IMPRESSED WITH DEVELOPMENTS IN HONG KONG

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THE VISITING SECRETARY OF STATE FOR SOCIAL SERVICES, THE RT. HON. DAVID ENNALS, M.P. SAID THIS (FRIDAY) EVENING HIS MAIN IMPRESS- ION OF HONG KONG DURING HIS FIVE-DAY VISIT WAS THE TREMENDOUS ENTHUSIASM OF COMMITMENT AND CONFIDENCE IN HONG KONG'S FUTURE.

+AND I MUST SAY I HAVE THAT SAME CONFIDENCE IN' HONG KONG'S FUTURE,+ HE SAID DURING AN RTHK TELEVISION INTERVIEW AT THE END OF HIS VISIT.

+THERE IS A GREAT ENTHUSIASM BY THE PUBLIC, BY THE GOVERNMENT AND EY VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS, WORKING TOGETHER TO IMPROVE (HONG KONG'S) SITUATION, AND THEY ARE DOING SO.

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+THEY ARE DOING SO RAPIDLY, AND I HOPE THAT THEY WILL CONTINUE TO SHARE THAT SORT OF COMMITMENT, MR. ENNALS SAID.

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MR. ENNALS SAID THAT THOUGH HE AS NOT CLAIMING TO HAVE BECOME AN EXPERT DURING HIS BRIEF STAY HERE, HE WAS VERY MUCH ENCOURAGED BY THE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE SOCIAL SERVICES, NOTABLY MEDICAL AND HEALTH, HOUSING, FACILITIES FOR THE DISABLED AND THE REHABILITATION OF DRUG ADDICTS.

HE SAID HE HAD LOOKED AT HONG KONG'S MEDICAL AND HEALTH SÉRTICES BOTH FROM WHICH IT IS TODAY AND FROM DEVELOPMENTS OVER THE NEXT FIVE. AND 10 YEARS.

+ I THINK IT IS VERY ENCOURAGING THAT THERE IS GOING TO BE A VERY SUBSTANTIAL BOOST IN THE NUMBER OF AVAILABLE HOSPITAL BEDS BETWEEN 4,000 AND 5,000 NEW BEDS IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS,+ HE SAID. +THIS IS GOING TO MEAN BIG NEW HOSPITALS, INCREASED TECHNOLOGY AND AN INCREASED NUMBER OF DOCTORS.+

SOCIAL FACILITIES FOR THE DISABLED WERE ALSO IMPROVING ENORMOUSLY, HE SAID, IT SEEMS TO ME THEY ARE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION,+

ON HOUSING, HE SAID THAT HAVING SEEN SOME OF THE VERY OVER- CROADED CONDITIONS + RECOGNISE THAT THERE ARE BURNING PROBLEMS THAT HAVE TO BE TACKLED,+

HE ADDED HOWEVER THAT FROM QUESTIONS HE HAD ASKED AND FROM PLANS HE HAD SEEN, IT DID SEEN TO HIM THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS FACING UP TO THE CHALLENGES.

+OF COURSE IT WILL TAKE YEARS, + HE SAID. +AN ESTIMATE WAS GIVEN THAT PERHAPS BY THE MIDDLE OF THE EIGHTIES THE BACK WOULD BE BROKEN OF THE HOUSING PROBLEM. THAT'S SEVERAL YEARS OFF, AND EVEN THEN THERE WILL BE FOR MANY PEOPLE A VERY SMALL HOUSING SPACE IN WHICH TO LIVE, BUT THAT IS AN ENDEMIC PROBLEM OF HONG KONG,+

/THO MPY