CONFIDENTIAL
4. THE PAMPHLET MAKES SPECIAL REFERENCE TO ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL
CONDITIONS. HONG KONG HAS A RAPIDLY EXPANDING POPULATION (IT
HAS INCREASED EIGHT TIMES IN THIRTY YEARS) WHICH HAS GIVEN RISE
TO MANY OF THE SOCIAL PROBLEMS TO WHICH HE REFERS. IT WAS THE EXISTENCE OF THOSE PROBLEMS WHICH LED THE GOVERNOR TO ANNOUNCE, IN 1972, FIRM PLANS TO PROVIDE PUBLIC HOUSING FOR ANOTHER 1.8 MILLION PEOPLE: TO IMPROVE MEDICAL SERVICES: TO ACHIEVE A RATIO OF 5.5 BEDS PER 1000 POPULATION: TO PROVIDE THREE YEARS SECONDARY EDUCATION FOR ALL: AND TO DEVELOP PUBLIC ASSISTANCE AND DISABILITY AND INFIRMITY ALLOWANCES. MAJOR EFFORTS HAVE BEEN MADE
IN RECENT YEARS TO IMPROVE WORKING CONDITIONS, TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT
AND LABOUR LEGISLATION.
5. HONG KONG IS DEPENDENT ON WORLD TRADE FOR ITS ECONOMIC SURVIVAL. THE DEVELOPMENT OF HER SOCIAL PROGRAMMES TO MEET THE DEMANDS OF THE COMMUNITY IS INEVITABLY DEPENDANT ON HER ECONOMIC SUCCESS
AND THE FORMER MUST NOT BE ALLOWED TO PREJUDICE THE LATTER.
GOVERNMENT MUST ENSURE THE CONTINUED ECONOMIC SUCCESS OF HONG KONG IF IT IS TO ACHIEVE ITS DECLARED AIM OF AN IMPROVED LIFE FOR THE COMMUNITY.
6. MR. ENGLAND MAKES A NUMBER OF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVING-
THE CONSULTATIVE PROCESS IN HONG KONG, THE SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES OF HONG KONG RULE OUT CONSTITUTIONAL PROGRESS ALONG THE PATH NORMALLY FOLLOWED BY DEPENDANT TERRITORIES. THIS SITUATION IS WELL UNDERSTOOD LOCALLY. WITHIN THE LIMITATIONS IMPOSED BY THIS
SITUATION, HONG KONG IS CONTINUING TO DEVELOP SYSTEMS OF CONSULTATION WHICH ALLOW FOR THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF COMMUNITY
PARTICIPATION IN AFFAIRS. WE WILL CONTINUE TO SEEK WAYS IN WHICH
THESE MAY BE IMPROVED, INCLUDING WIDER REPRESENTATION ON LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, THE EXPANSION AND DEVELOPMENT OF MUTUAL AID COMMITTEES, AND INVOLVING A WIDER CROSS SECTION OF PEOPLE IN THE
WORK OF ADVISORY BODIES.
UNQUOTE.
FOR COMMENTS ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE PAMPHLET PLEASE SEE M I F T.
MACLEHOSE
FILES
HKIOD
.COPIES TO
FS/MR ROWLANDS PS/PUS
HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE
ОТА
GIPD
NEWS D PS
MR LARMOUR
MR STANLEY
MR MALE
2 CONFIDENTIAL
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