TNAG-0317-FCO40-353-Policy-of-housing-and-resettlement-in-Hong-Kong-problem-of-s-1971 — Page 114

IMMEDIATE

CYPHER CAT/A

CONFIDENTIAL

10P

COPY

FM HONG KONG 1809002

CONFIDENTIAL

TO IMMEDIATE F.C.O. TELEGRAM MO. 413 OF 18 JUNE INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON.

YOUR TELEGRAM NO. 444 TO ME.

PARLIAMENTARY QUESTION.

LABT

MEF.

14

NEX

REF

CONTRARY TO THE INFERENCE CONTAINED IN MR. RANKIN'S QUESTION, PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS OF THE 1971 CENSUS RETURNS REVEALS THAT THE NUMBER OF SQUATTERS IN HONG KONG IS IN FACT WELL BELOW PREVIOUS ESTIMATES. (THE NUMBER IN THE METROPOLITAN AREA AS REVEALED BY A HEAD COUNT IS NOW 187,080, AS AGAINST PREVIOUS ESTIMATES OF 328,000). THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF ANY RECENT INCREASE IN DOMESTIC SQUATTING. THUS THE SECOND PART OF THE QUESTION DOES NOT ARISE.

2.

AS MATERIAL FOR SUPPLEMENTARIES YOU MAY WISH TO BE AWARE

THAT:-

(1) ALL CLASSES OF DOMESTIC ACCOMMODATION IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR

OTHER THAN IN THE HIGHEST RENTAL BRACKET HAVE BEEN RENT- CONTROLLED SINCE JANUARY 1978, AND IN ADDITION TENANTS HAVE HAD SECURITY OF TENURE. THESE CONTROLS ARE STILL IN FORCE. WITH REGARD TO PUBLIC HOUSING THERE HAVE BEEN NO INCREASES

IN RESETTLEMENT AND LOW-COST HOUSING RENTS.

(!!)

WITH REGARD TO LIVING STANDARDS, THE AVAILABLE INFORMATION INDICATES THAT INDUSTRIAL WAGES HAVE NEARLY DOUBLED OVER

THE LAST SEVEN YEARS (AND IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS THERE WAS A STEEP RISE OF 18). BECAUSE THE COST OF LIVING HAS NOT

INCREASED PROPORTIONATELY OVER THIS PERIOD THE REAL VALUE OF WAGES HAS RISEN BY 45% (OF WHICH 107 WAS ATTRIBUTABLE TO · 1973/1971).

NORMAN-WALKER

FILES

FED

PS TO MR NOYLE

SER I MONSON

AR MILFORD

FINEN

CONFIDENTIAL

RECOVED IN

REGISTRY No. 530

JUN1971

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