TNAG-0518-FCO40-613-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1975 — Page 7

Page

RESTRICTED

Mr Male

здобера

PS/Lord Goronwy-Boberts

Arff. to issue

Ry

3

MP'S LETTER: MR JIM MARSHALL MP

Mr Marshall MP (Labour, Leicester South) has written to the

Secretary of State forwarding a letter from a constituent, Mr

1.

C J Lewett who had written to him about the situation in Hong Kong.

2.

Mr Lewett makes two general complaints. First, he asserts that Chinese and Malay workers are living in appalling conditions. His reference to Malay workers is puzzling. According to the Hong Kong Yearbook 1975 there were only 4,508 Malaysian citizens in the Colony at the end of 1974 and this figure would include women and children. While living conditions in Hong Kong may not be of the same standard as in the United Kingdom, it is widely recognised that Hong Kong has made great strides in recent years. Over 47 of the population are already living in Government subsidised housing and there is an ambitious 10 year programme to build public housing for another 1.5 milluon people. The Hong Kong Government is pressing ahead as fast as possible with this programme, subject,

of course, to the present economic constraints. This year houses for about 100,000 people will have been built. When completed, it

is hoped that this programme, together with the private sector's contribution, will break the back of Hong Kong's housing problem.

There has been comparable progress in the fields of education and

health.

Flag A

3. Mr Lewett's second point concerns representation on the Legislative and Executive Councils. Again, the reasons for the

lack of normal constitutional progress in Hong Kong are well known. The Governor's speech when opening the Legislative Council on

8 October 1975 sets out very well the ever increasing opportunities for greater public participation in g overnment bodies, committees,

etc, and I think we can do no better than refer Mr Marshall to the text of this speech (pages 27-29).

بابا

RESTRICTED