From the Minister of State
The Rt Hon The Lord Goronwy-Roberts
Mannay,
Шашла
CHILD LABOUR
R&F
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
London SW1A 2AH
M. Dutt 21 June 1977
pote d
Whether Dom B/Jet
(44)
Tegs
64
23/6
RE.
RECI
23 JUN 1977
HKK 210/1
01
77
I was pleased to learn from your letter of 2 May that you have spoken to the Chief Justice about the level of fines for the illegal employment of children. I welcome your decision to increase the maximum fine and accept, albeit reluctantly, the arguments of the Chief Justice and the Attorney-General against the prescription of a statutory mimimum fine.
The level of fines is obviously affected by joinder of charges. I am not sure whether at present charges are so framed as to produce a separate count in respect of each child found to be illegally employed nor whether a separate fine is imposed for each count proved. I should be glad to receive your advice on this point.
I agree with your view that the real answer to child labour is the provision of school places for all children up to the age of fifteen, which I understand will be achieved by 1980/81. But if child labour is to be abolished completely, I am inclined to wonder whether the provision of school places is sufficient in itself. As I see it, these places must then be accessible to all children which means they must be free and attendance should be compulsory. Do you see a complete solution to the child labour problem lying in the provision of tree compulsory education for all children up to the age of fifteen? The final sentence of your letter encourages me to think that you have this in mind and I should be grateful for your further thoughts on the matter.
With thindert regards,
Sir Murray MacLehose GBE KCMG KVCO
Journ
Traine
Government House
Hạng Kong
CONFIDENTIAL
56
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