TNAG-0231-FCO40-267-Conditions-of-employment-of-labour-force-in-Hong-Kong-1970 — Page 58

Mr.

Please

Dan

(75) below;

Reference....

will (....)

1

have drafted

saving despatch to Hong

Kong, in reply to (66), on the

basis 57 the D.E.P.

(75) letter. Do

have

you

any

comments please?

MR. MURRAY

tain Purway

19th August 1970.

(We must not lose sight of the letter at 79). As regards the letter from Mr. Jones of D.E.P., I am a little worried about his penultimate paragraph which suggests that an exemption order "might permit departures" from the present restrictions, (1) on the statutory period of rest and (2) on the statutory limits of each day or on overtime. I think that if tis information was conveyed quite baldly to Hong Kong it might suggest a greater flexibility on our part than I think exists, particularly as special exemption orders are apparently renewed almost automatically.

2.

I think we should ask D.E.P. whether departures from these restrictions have in fact been permitted to any extent and if we could be given some idea of the very special circumstances which would justify such radical departures from basic protective provisions governing the employment of women and young persons. In the meantime, the letter to Hong Kong could perhaps stop at "X" and an indication be given that we are still in correspondence with D..P. about the matters raised in sub-paragraph (b) of saving despatch No. 544 of 9 May, 1970.

(G. Foggun)

Overseas Labour Adviser

21 August, 1970.

Note.

assure me

I have spoken to both the D.A.P. and R. Forgon. In fact the DEP.

that they

very

flexible, and always try to be reasonable

to both parties. Over 20,000 women

عية

involved in night work in the

U.K., and other departures from the various restrictions are

equally