TNAG-0531-FCO40-626-Application-of-International-Labour-Convention-to-Hong-Kong-1975 — Page 357

CODE 18-77

Mr O'Keeffe

HAIOD (K 246)

HXL 2/393/1

Reference....

HONG KONG AND THE ILO

1. I have just seen the record of the Secretary of state's meeting of 23 April with members of the NEC of the Labour Farty. Paragraph 8 of this record refers to the question of International Labour Conventions raised by fir Mikardo, and the need to keep these under review. Mr Callaghan suggested that a periodic assessment of Hong Kong's performance in applying International Labour Conventions should be made, and should be seen by the responsible Minister. I assume that HKIOD will be doing this, and will decide how frequently and in what form the submission should be made.

2.

In this connection you should see the attached minute by Miss Swan, the desk officer in my Department who has specific responsibility for ILO affairs as they concern the Dependent Territories generally. As you will see, we have not the resources to devote a major effort to the specific labour problems of Hong Kong, but you might find it helpful in meeting the secretary of State's requirement to consult our ILO Desk. Thus Article 22 of the IL Constitution requires HMG to send the ILO reports on the application in our Dependent Territories of Conventions which we have ratified and which in some cases apply to them. Reports from individual Dependent Territories come to my Department; we process them (in consultation where necessary with OLA) and send them on to the D of E, who send them in turn to the ILO in Geneva.

If you agree, as a matter of routine in future we will send copies of the Hong Kong reports to.HKIOD, and will also keep you informed of the response whenever Hong Kong is invited to consider making declarations on the application of new IL Conventions ratified by HMG. (I believe and hope that we do in fact keep HKIOD informed of correspondence with Hong Kong on these subjects; but this should certainly be done systematically.)

Would your Hong Kong desk officer find it useful to discuss practicalities in more detail with my ILO experts (ir Fauncefort, Miss Swan and Miss Oldfield) direct?

3.

12 May 1975

J.s. Cam

Champin

J S Champion

Gibraltar & General Department

ins Walton

Mr

This seems a

good arrangement. Please proceed

as

suggested in paragraph 3 abone. The O2 of ghould be hyet in touch helpos