TNAG-0531-FCO40-626-Application-of-International-Labour-Convention-to-Hong-Kong-1975 — Page 317

Secretary of State

CONFIDENTIAL

HONG KONG

RECEIVED IN REGISTR

- 9 JURI7/0

Veenky PLOK.

R

28

Further to our meeting with the International Committee of the Labour Party, Mr O'Keefe (Head of Hong Kong and Indian Ocean Department), Mr Foggon (Overseas Labour Adviser) and myself had a meeting to discuss follow-up.

2.

(a)

(b)

The Office are preparing briefs on the following:

the steps to bring the application of ILO Conventions under Ministerial review; the desirability of arranging for a specialist

on trade unions and industrial relations (preferably an academic of repute) to go to Hong Kong to make an independent assessment of the state of trade union development and the conduct of industrial relations (this

would be a half-way house to a "Hong Kong" Donovan);

(c)

(a)

the desirability of reviewing the Hong Kong Trade Union Ordinance and its subsidiary legislation with a view to simplification; the membership of the Legislative Council, on which the Office argue there can be very little progress until some of the present seats fall vacant in about two years' time. Once these have been prepared I think it would be very useful for you to hold an internal Office meeting to enable Departments here to give you their ideas and listen to your assessment of progress. Such a meeting could be arranged in late June/early July.

3.

4.

The Department would also prepare briefs on any other areas you would like covered but which are not included in our present range of discussions.

CONFIDENTIAL

/ 5.