TNAG-0585-FCO40-718-Employment-of-children-in-Hong-Kong-1976 — Page 205

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of young children employed in non-industrial establishments, e.g. restaurants, and even mors of children doing "out work" at home. There is no limit on the age of children who may be employed in non-industrial establishments.

3. The Hong Kong Government's "case" was covered only in a brief interview at the end of the programme with the Commissioner of Labour. Kr Price came over better than we had expected from an advance reading of the full transcript of his interview. Не gave details of the number of factories visited by his department's inspectors and pointed out that it is the Hong Kong Government's intention to prohibit the employment of minors under 15 years of age by 1980.

Reactions

4. I understand that News Department have not received any enquiries about the "World in Action" progranne. There was an article about it in the later edition of the "Daily Telegraph" on 14 December, to which ar Kidd, the Hong Kong Government Commissioner, responded in a letter to the editor. One member of the public has written to the Minister of Overseas Development to ask what HG is doing about the state of child labour in Hong Kong revealed in the programme. Naturally, there have been more extensive press reactions in Hong Kong (Hong Kong telnos 1238 and 1242). The Hong Kong Government have been taking the line that they are awaiting a copy of the film, which Mr Kidd has sent them, and will comment when they have seen it.

Further Action

5.

Most, if not all, of the points raised in the programme were anticipated in the 14 PQs tabled earlier this month by

Mr Robert Parry LP. r Luard's Answers to these Questions (Hansard, Flag F

Written Answers, Cols 251-260) provide a ready source of material, in the event that the "World in Action" programme should prompt POs, PS letters, etc.

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