TNAG-0125-FCO40-161-Labour-force-working-conditions-1969 — Page 25

Dd.156229 Gp.863

La.

PARLIAMENTARY QUESTION

for WRITTEN answer on

Hong Kong

The draft reply should reach the Parliamentary Office through your Under-Secretary by

Not Thesday 1412

Mr. James Johnson (Kingston-upon-Hull, West): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he is aware of the exploitation of child labour in Hong Kong, particularly the child slavery in the colony's tea houses; and what action he is proposing following the recent labour department

survey.

18th December 1969

Mr. Evan Luand

Spackag

There is no slavery in Hong Kong.s of course illegal in the

Colony

There was in August a special campaign against the unlawful

employment in industry of children under fourteen. As a result

prosecutions were mounted against the proprietors of 298 undertakings,

Law enforcement measures will continue to be vigorously pursued.

The Hong Kong Government share

our

my concern that there should be

It is diff

is difficult to devise and

no exploitation of child labour.

enforce measures of control outside industry, for example in family

businesses and among those engaged in itinerant trading. I am aware

of the tradition of employing young persons in Chinese tea houses to

carry round trays of delicacies. There are regular twice yearly

surveys of employees in such establishments. This is a problem that

is gradually diminishing with general changes in social habits.

17/12.