Mr. J. Ashley M.P., House of Commons, Westminster, London.
Sir,
15 Bushy Grove, Kingswood, Maidstone,
Kent.
22nd December 1976
1.T.V. "World in Action", Monday 13.12.76 "Made in Hong Kong".
Having just viewed the above programme, I feel so apalled by the evidence presented, of child labour on the above crown colony, that I feel it is necessary to write to you as an M.P. who cares. It may be possible for you to find out whether or not the claims made by the television presenters are justified. These are as follows:
a)
b)
c)
d)
That because of squalid housing conditions, and extreme family poverty, children aged between 10-13 years leave school and take up employment in factories.
Because such children are 'cheap labour', that employers risk employing such children.
That the fines imposed by the Courts are an insufficient deterent to employers.
That some members of the Fire and Labour departments, on the colony, accept bribes from employers for advance warnings of inspections.
e)
That health/safety standards in factories are inadequate.
f)
That employers do not compensate children for industrial injuries received, presumably because they did not 'legally' employ them.
If such claims can be substantiated, then, I respectfully suggest that pressure be brought to bear, by the British Government, in an effort to bring about the following changed:-
a)
To make school attendance compulsory to age 15 years.
b)
To make it illegal for any child under 15 years to be employed in any shop, factory, office or restaurant.
c) To increase the maximum fines for companies employing minors.
d)
To endeavour to try and improve safety/health standards in all places where people are employed.
Contimed
4/3
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