TNAG-0585-FCO40-718-Employment-of-children-in-Hong-Kong-1976 — Page 230

CONFIDENTIAL

THE TOTAL OF 8,300 FOR THE ECONOMICALLY ACTIVE 12/13 YEAR OLDS REPRESENTS 3.8% OF THE TOTAL POPULATION IN THIS AGE GROUP.

PLEASE NOTE THAT FOR THE LABOUR FORCE SURVEY 'ECONOMICALLY ACTIVE'' IS DEFINED TO MEAN THOSE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WHO WERE ENGAGED IN PRODUCTIVE WORK FOR AT LEAST 15 HOURS DURING THE SEVEN DAYS BEFORE ENUMERATION AND THOSE WHO WERE UNEMPLOYED BUT SEEKING WORK.

(3) TOTAL NUMBER OF OUTWORKERS BASED ON MARCH 1976 LABOUR FORCE

SURVEY IS 61,500. BREAKDOWN BY INDUSTRY NOT YET AVAILABLE.

''OUTWORKER'' IS DEFINED TO MEAN 'AN EMPLOYEE WHO IS FREE TO TAKE WORK HOME OR ANYWHERE HE LIKES''. A FULL TIME OUTWORKER IS COUNTED AS ''SELF-EMPLOYED AND AS WITH OTHER SELF EMPLOYED

PERSONS, THE 15 HOURS WORK PER WEEK MINIMUM CRITERION FOR ''EMPLOYMENT DOES NOT APPLY.

(4) DURING 1975 AND 1976 (UP TO 30TH NOVEMBER 1975), 306 AND 300 EMPLOYERS RESPECTIVELY WERE PROSECUTED FOR EMPLOYING CHILDREN BELOW

14 YEARS OF AGE IN INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS.

(5) LEGISLATION PROHIBITS THE EMPLOYMENT OF ANY FEMALE PERSONS OF WHATEVER AGE OR ANY MALE YOUNG PERSONS BELOW 16 YEARS OF AGE IN ANY DANGEROUS TRADE, EXCEPT WITH THE WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR. EMPLOYMENT OF MALE WORKERS OVER 16 IS THEREFORE LEGAL. DURING 1975 AND 1976 (UP TO 30TH NOVEMBER 1976), THERE WERE NO PROSECUTIONS AGAINST EMPLOYERS FOR INFRINGEMENT.

(6) DURING 1975 AND 1976 (UP TO 30TH NOVEMBER 1976),

350 AND 349 CHILDREN RESPECTIVELY WERE INVOLVED IN PROSECUTIONS

FOR ILLEGAL EMPLOYMENT IN INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS. THERE WERE NO PROSECUTIONS FOR EMPLOYMENT OF PERSONS BELOW 16 IN DANGEROUS

TRADES.

(7) IN HONG KONG LABOUR INSPECTORS AND (NEXT WORD UNDERLINED) NOT

FACTORY INSPECTORS ARE ENGAGED IN VISITS TO FACTORIES TO CHECK FOR ILLEGAL EMPLOYMENT OF CHILDREN OR ILLEGAL EMPLOYMENT OF YOUNG PERSONS UNDER 16 YEARS OF AGE IN DANGEROUS TRADES. SEE ALSO INFORMATION PROVIDED UNDER (5). THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE LABOUR INSPECTORATE (BOTH IN 1975 AND 1976) WAS: 14 SENIOR LABOUR/INSPECTORS,