TNAG-0585-FCO40-718-Employment-of-children-in-Hong-Kong-1976 — Page 253

PA

Mr Cortazzi

UNCLASSIFIED

COVERING CONFIDENTIAL

PS/Lord Goronwy-Roberts

HONG KONG: HOUSE OF LORDS PARLIAMENTARY QUESTION ON CHILD LABOUR

1. Lord Brockway has put down an oral Parliamentary Question, for answer on Monday 19 July, to ask Her Majesty's Government

what action is being taken by the Hong Kong Labour Department to

combat the increase in child labour, and whether an investigation

is being made into the allegation of Triad Society involvement

in the recruitment of such labour.

2.

of

This Question follows Lord Brockway's written Question on the same subject which is for answer on 16 July and on which I

Flag Asubmitted on 14 July. As I stated then, there has been little

interest recently on the issue of child labour in Hong Kong and it is not clear why Lord Brockway wishes to focus attention on it now. It may be that he has been sent material from Hong Kong

on Triad involvement in child labour and possibly he has been

told that child labour is on the increase now that the recession

is past and that a labour shortage has developed in certain industries. However, the Hong Kong Government, in providing material for this reply, have assured us that, while they are having greater success in detecting offences, they have no evidence that child labour in Hong Kong is on the increase or that there Flag B is Triad involvement (Hong Kong telegram no. 703 of 13 July).

I submit a draft reply, notes for supplementaries and a

brief background note. The OLA concurs.

3.

16 July 1976

ник

PL O'Keeffe

Hong Kong Department

cc:

Parliamentary Unit

OLA

COVERING CONFIDENTIAL