HKK.013/
116
CONFIDENTIAL
QV1977
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(1044)
Mr Murray
PS/Lord Goronwy-Roberts
no Rsist. d
REACTION TO THE GOVERNOR'S SPEECH AT THE OPENING OF LEGCO ON 5 OCTOBER
1.
Lord Goronwy-Roberts asked to be kept informed of comment on the Governor's LegCo speech.
2.
Reaction to the speech both within and outside LegCo has been generally favourable. Press coverage of the speech has been extensive but low key, with many people waiting until the publication of more detailed information on the planned changes, and in particular the three Green Papers, before commenting in depth. I would not, in any case, expect particularly vocal reaction until the speech is debated.
3. Reaction has focused on the social policies outlined by Sir Murray MacLehose: the social welfare scheme, the three years of free and compulsory education and the housing proposals. These are generally seen as natural extensions of the policies followed over the last four years, although some commentators expressed pleasant surprise at the extent of the educational changes. The social insurance scheme was, for the most part, praised as being suited to Hong Kong's stage of evolution, although some critics argued that only a compulsory system would be really effective. Otherwise criticism, particularly from the Industrial Relations Institute, concentrated on the need to allow workers and force employers to contribute more than the suggested 2% each of an employee's wage.
4.
argue for Many
The education proposals were widely welcomed. The Education Action Group saw them as a big step forward and proof of the effectiveness of pressure groups. They did, however, yet a further two years of free secondary education.
believed that forcing all children to have three years of
secondary education would help to solve the problems of juvenile
delinquency and child labour, but a number of writers warned of
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