CONFIDENTIAL
THE GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG'S VISIT: 7-10 DECEMBER '1976
Progress Made in Implementing Measures for Labour and Social Reform
BACKGROUND
1. During the Governor's last visit in July, agreement was reached on the five-year programme of measures for improvements in labour, social and allied fields in Hong Kong, contained in the Planning Paper. It was agreed that the Governor's statement at the opening of the new session of the Legislative Council in the autumn would provide the occasion to announce the detailed programme for 1976/77 and to give a broad indication of the Hong Kong Government's intentions for later years. Such a statement would be drawn upon in answer to any Parliamentary Questions here.
2. As arranged, the Governor consulted us in advance about the passages in his proposed statement relating to the new programme of measures, Lord Goronwy-Roberts considered that some of what the Governor planned to say was too qualified. The Governor accepted most of the amendments which we suggested and the programme, in the form in which the Governor eventually set it out in his
statement on 6 October, was impressive.
3. The general aim of the programme of measures contained in the Planning Paper was expressed as follows by the Governor in his
statement:
"Your Government has concluded that we should set ourselves the target of achieving a level of legislation governing safety, health and conditions of employment at least broadly equivalent to the best in our neighbouring countries whose stage of economic development and social and cultural back- ground are similar to our own, which in effect means our principal Asian competitors excluding Japan."
Elsewhere in his statement the Governor made it clear that the objective was to achieve this target within five years, It is
CONFIDENTIAL
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