TNAG-0434-FCO40-499-UK-interest-in-labour-and-social-affairs-of-Hong-Kong-1975 — Page 90

PRIORITY

CYPHER CAT/A

GRPS 500

CONFIDENTIAL

RECEIVED IN

REGISTRY No.52

FM HONG KONG 8702452 -8 NOV 1974

CONFIDENTIAL

HICK

1/201

TOP COPY

TO PRIORITY F C O TELEGRAM NUMBER 1108 OF 7 NOVEMBER. 1974

FOR STUART, HK AND 10D.

NOF

YOUR CONFIDENTIAL AND PERSONAL LETTER OF 1 NOVEMBER,

LABOUR PARTY INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE,

I HAVE THE FOLLOWING COMMENTS ON THE 4 MATTERS RAISED BY

MCNALLY.

1. WAGE RATES:

DROP IN REAL WAGES FOR YEAR END MARCH 1974 WAS 12% NOT 11%. MARCH 1974 DAILY WAGES FOR WORKERS IN MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES WERE POUNDS 1.36, 4.85, 1.03, 3.33, 6.99, 2.29 AT HONG KONG DOLLARS 11,8 TO THE POUND. THE LATEST AVAILABLE COMPARISONS WITH NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES ARE 1972 DAILY WAGES IN

MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES IN POUNDS

HONG KONG

1.50

JAPAN

4.04

SOUTH KOREA

0.69

SINGAPORE

1.15

SOURCES: 1 LO BULLETIN ON LABOUR STATISTICS,

I L O YEAR BOOK ON LABOUR STATISTICS AND ANNUAL DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR,

2. SOCIAL SERVICES:

YOUR BRIEF IS CORRECT, I REGRET INABILITY TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ON NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES IN TIME, OUR ESTIMATED EXPENDITURE OF £197M ON SOCIAL SERVICES, IN THE CURRENT YEAR 16 7.3 OF THE GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT. NO CROSS NATIONAL PRODUCT FIGURE IS AVAILABLE.

CONFIDENTIAL

13. TRADE

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