TNAG-0687-FCO40-836-Disturbances-by-police-in-Hong-Kong-1977 — Page 140

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Hong

[Baroness Ellis.]

[LORDS]

have, there are about 1,200,000 school- children registered in the Hong Kong schools. That is about a quarter of the population of the country. By any standards, that is a vast problem and it cannot just be brushed aside by saying that nothing is done about it. To have a proportion of 25 per cent. of the population of school age must set any Government an enormous problem.

In the past five or six years, 14 million of the people coming into Hong Kong have been refugees, so if the noble Lord is making these comments about Hong Kong and criticising the Government, I believe that it is fair to put the other side. What the noble Lord did not men- tion-which is perhaps hardly surprising

-was the enormous benefit which is flow- ing to the whole population of Hong Kong from its increased economic growth. I gather-and these are the only statistics. I have seen, though the noble Lord may perhaps have others--that the gross domestic product is increasing at an annual rate of something like 71 per cent. One need only think of the Hong Kong dollar which in 1971 was 141 to the pound sterling and is now 10 to the pound sterling. That in itself gives a very fair comparison of the benefits of a free market economy and free enter- prise. I do not think that I need say much more on that point.

With regard to the growth of industry which, after all, affects the whole labour force of Hong Kong, Hong Kong is a very small territory in relation to world land space but it has now become the 16th largest trading nation in the world. Not only does one realise the effect of a free market economy but one must pay strong tribute to the people them- selves. They are willing to work hard. They want to improve their living con- ditions and to remain independent. That may account for the comparatively small number who belong to trade unions,

With regard to the defence of Hong Kong, which, as the noble Lord rightly said,.is a vital element, I should like to draw attention to the Third Report of the Expenditure Committee for 1975-76 on Hong Kong and Cyprus. I refer to the summary of conclusions, page xxiii. Con- clusion 2 reads,

"We consider that the continued presence of British forces in Hong Kong is vital to the

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continued existence and the economic well- being of the Colony."

[ very much hope that the noble Lord, Lord Goronwy-Roberts, when he comes to reply to the Question, will be able to make some comment on this point.

Of course it is not for me to attempt to answer the Question of the noble Lord, Lord Brockway, because it is rightly addressed to the Government. Neverthe- less, I think it right to put some of the points in favour of the people of Hong Kong, and by that I do not mean only the upper class and richer people of, Hong Kong, but all those who live there and who contribute by their work to the improvement of their standards of living.

When the noble Lord speaks of there being no maternity allowance and no minimum wage, I should like to draw his attention to some of the social provisions in this country. Maternity allowance was only very recently introduced in this country, after very many years of National Insurance. Maternity allowance was not considered necessary, Nor do we in this country have a minimum wage. It is not correct to attack a country like Hong Kong for not having benefits which we ourselves do not have.

In conclusion, I should like to see Hong Kong remaining a prime financial centre for South-East Asia and working in har- mony with its great neighbour China. I should like an assurance from the Minis- ter on behalf of Her Majesty's Govern- ment that they have no plans to change the constitutional establishment or status of Hong Kong and that we, as a country, and Her Majesty's Government in par- ticuar, will continue to fulfil our obliga- tions to our greatest Crown Colony, Hong Kong.

7.18 p.m.

Lord HALE: My Lords, I always listen wtih 'respectful attention to the noble Baroness, but I was not quite sure which side she was on during her speech. One felt that she was speaking more for the Hong Kong chamber of commerce than for the British Government and that she was rather rejoicing in a very odd which has done infinite harm economy to die économy of this country in the last few years.

The reason why I am taking part in this debate is that 30 years ago Lan- cashire Members of Parliament were