TNAG-0786-FCO40-990-Policy-of-Government-of-Hong-Kong-on-labour-and-trade-union--1978 — Page 215

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REGEERED IN BEGINSY 63. 51. 16 AUG 1978

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TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG TELEGRAM NO 630 OF 15 AUGUST.

MY TELEGRAM NO 627: LABOUR CONDITIONS IN HONG KONG.

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1. WE UNDERSTAND (TELECON POLITICAL ADVISER/MCLAREN) THAT TOMORROW'S MEETING OF LEG CO IS THE LAST UNTIL OCTOBER AND THAT THERE IS IN ANY CASE NO PROCEDURE FOR DEFERRING QUESTIONS ONCE THEY HAVE BEEN PUT DOWN FOR ANSWER ON A PARTICULAR DATE. IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES MINISTERS HAVE AGREED THAT YOU SHOULD REPLY TO MISS DUNN'S QUESTION ON THE FOLLOWING LINES:

BEGINS. GOVERNMENT HAVE DRAWN THE ATTENTION OF THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE TO THIS STATEMENT. I UNDERSTAND THAT MR CRYER'S REMARKS ABOUT HONG KONG, WHICH WERE MADE DURING THE COURSE OF A DEBATE ABOUT THE PROBLEMS FACED BY THE BRITISH CUTLERY INDUSTRY, SHOULD NOT BE REGARDED AS A CONSIDERED STATEMENT OF HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT'S VIEWS. HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT APPRECIATE GOVERNMENT'S EFFORTS TO IMPROVE SOCIAL AND LABOUR CONDITIONS IN THE TERRITORY, AND CONFIRM THEIR SUPPORT FOR THE CONTINUING PROGRAMME OF REFORMS IN THIS AREA. ENDS,

3. IN REPLY TO SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTIONS YOU MAY WISH TO BRING OUT THE FACT THAT MR CRYER DID NOT (NOT), AS MISS DUNN'S QUESTION ALLEGES, CLAIM THAT HONG KONG HAD NEITHER HEALTH AND SAFETY AT WORK LEGISLATION NOR AN EMPLOYMENT PROTECTION ORDINANCE: HE WAS SPEAKING OF KOREA. YOU MAY ALSO WISH TO DRAW ATTENTION TO LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS' REPLY TO LORD ORAM'S QUESTION ABOUT I LO. CONVENTIONS IN THE HOUSE OF LORDS ON 5 JULY.

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PS/LORD GORONWY ROBERTS

MR MURRAY

COPIES To:

HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE

LONDON

MRS GINGELL CREH.DOT

CONFIDENTIAL MR LENG POT