TNAG-0230-FCO40-266-Conditions-of-employment-of-labour-force-in-Hong-Kong-1970 — Page 6

CONFIDENTIAL

47

Note of Meeting between Lord Shepherd

and Members of Parliament

on Night Work for Women in Hong Kong

Thursday, 19 March, 1970

PRESENT:

Lord Shepherd

R

Jusmir to th Kinnar for on

in the Chair

Mr. Ernest Thornton, M.P.

Mr. John Rankin, M.P.

Mr. Robert Howarth, M.P.

(c) on 31

Mr. Laird, Hong Kong Department

Mr. Foggon, Overseas Labour Adviser

Mr. Spendlove, Hong Kong Department

нау

The Minister invited Mr. Thornton to speak.

Mr. Thornton said that he was concerned about conditions of work

in Hong Kong. He agreed that wages were good compared with the level

in the rest of Asia except Japan, but conditions were very poor and

the new measures now taken to facilitate the employment of women on

night shift were retrogressive and likely to open the door to

practices which could not be contained. It was possible to

represent them as compatible with present thinking in the UK, but

to do so was to overlook the fact that social consciousness in

Hong Kong was one hundred years behind that in Britain. The weak Factory Inspectorate would be unable to enforce the conditions laid

down.

The Minister made the following points :

(a)

There was no reason for complacency, but progress was

being made in the legislative field, and conditions were

certainly improving.

(6) We had to influence the Hong Kong Government by persuasion;

we had no power to dictate policy. We had been consulted

about the proposal to allow women on night shift and the

conditions of employment we had suggested had been accepted

by the Hong Kong authorities.

CONFIDENTIAL

/ (c)