TNAG-0579-FCO40-712-Discussions-with-Sir-Murray-MacLehose--Governor-of-Hong-Kong-1976 — Page 107

CONFIDENTIAL

6

objective has slipped and there is at present provision for only 29% of the children concerned to receive secondary education by the date set. The Governor accepted that plans would have

to be made to meet this shortfall. The Hong Kong Government

should understand that we attach importance to this being done

and, if possible, to provision being made for a larger proportion than is envisaged of 15-16 year olds being found secondary school places by the end of this decade.

LINE TO TAKE

13. It would be appropriate to express appreciation to the Governor for having maintained the momentum in favour of social progress both by his statement in the Legislative Council and by the steps that his Government has subsequently taken. He might be thanked for taking full account of the amendments that

we wanted made to his statement. He could be congratulated on bringing off the desired new appointments to the Legislative Council, a matter which we know was bedevilled with local difficulties, and asked for his impressions of how the new members are settling down. The opportunity might also be taken to explore the Governor's present thinking on such matters as the programme for labour legislation in 1977/78, the new, comprehensive social welfare programme and the plans for the expansion of secondary education (see paragraph 10-12) and to urge him to proceed with these further measures as far and as

fast as circumstances allow.

2 December 1976

CONFIDENTIAL