..
[ 19 JULY 1976]
509
Hong Kong: made in his reply, regarding the activity. of the Triad organisations, may I ask whether he is aware that children, are recruited in Hong Kong by these middlemen and taken to the factories, led by what is known as a Pied Piper "? Is he aware that for supplying the children these middlemen organisations take commis- sions from the children's wages? Will he get in touch with the headmaster of the Baptist College in order to secure further facts about this problem?
My
Lord GORONWY-ROBERTS: Lords, certainly. I based my reply on the information available to me from the Royal Hong Kong Police, who say they have not received any complaints that organised Triad societies are involved in recruiting child labour. Of course I shall look at any evidence to the contracy which my noble friend can put before me, including what he has received from this Baptist College.
Lord GEORGE-BROWN: My Lords, just to put forward the other side of the story, would the Minister agree that the Hong Kong Government now reports to a Governor of tremendous sensitivity and great belief in the improvements that should be made, and who has in fact made enormous improvements? Instead of shooting at him should we not pay to him and those who report to him a certain respect and regard for what he has been able to do in a short period of years?
My
Lord GORONWY-ROBERTS: Lords, I warmly agree, expecially as this comes from a quarter of authority and experience such as that of the noble Lord. I am sure that Sir Murray MacLehose's record of dedicated service in this very difficult area needs to be commended, and to be commended frequently, especially when it is so easy to condemn the situation in Hong Kong which nevertheless shows tremendous advances in the last three or four years on what was there previously.
Baroness VICKERS: My Lords, in view of the fact, which I accept, that for several years it is not possible to under- take education, may I ask the noble Lord whether it is not better for these young people to be employed in some form rather than being on the streets?
510
My
Child Labour
Lord GORONWY-ROBERTS: Lords, while one does not for a moment take a complacent view of child employ- ment in this or any other country, there is something in what the noble Baroness says. The Chinese family organisation of course, which coincides so often with industrial and productive activity, very often lends itself to a benevolent form of juvenile employment that we, in a country like this, would not find tolerable. I hope that I am not putting this too high, and that what I have said will not be mis- understood. At the same time, the Hong Kong Government, as the noble Lord, Lord George-Brown, reminded us, has ensured that in a number of specified industries there is a ban on the employ- ment of young people below the age of 14, and the figures I have given, and indeed other figures I have provided in Written Answers to my noble friend, show that they are earnestly following up those regulations.
Lord BROCKWAY: My Lords, is my noble friend aware that many of these children are paid scandalously low wages, which are skimmed off by the middlemen recruiters, and that they are compelled to work more than 12 hours a day for those wretched wages?
Lord GORONWY- ROBERTS: My Lords, if they are compelled to work 12 hours a day, then those concerned are in default of very clear regulations and are subject to the inspections which, as I have tried to show, are being very rig- orously pursued. As to the level of wages, Hong Kong is not the best or the worst when compared with cognate countries in that area. It is our firm intention, and certainly that of the Governor to whom reference has been made, that the substantial progress that has already been attained shall be pressed forward with redoubled energy in the next few years.
Bermuda air agreemENT'
2.51 p.m.
Earl AMHERST: My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
The Question was as follows:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any information to
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.