TNAG-1154-FCO40-1434-Visits-by-Members-of-Parliament-(MPs)-to-Hong-Kong-1982 — Page 188

(DEFENCE AND EXTERNAL AFFAIRS SUB-COMMITTEE)

[Continued

9 December 1975] Mr D F HAWLEY, CMG, MBE,

Mr K C THOM, Mг A C GOODISON, CMG, Mr P L O'KEEFFE, CVO, Mr G W HOPCROFT, Mr D F MILTON and Mr D F BURDEN

But any change in Hong Kong is always seen to have meanings beyond that which we would wish to give them.

90. We were very interested by the activities on the border and the effec- tiveness with which people who wish to leave China were prevented from doing so. This was different from the previous trip of the Committee which was to Berlin where those crossing the wire or wall were treated differently. Does the British Government feel there is any inconsistency in this approach?

-(Mr Hawley.) I think one has to look at each case on its own merits. I would not like to draw any comparison between the two cases. Would you like me to develop the Hong Kong case a little. The question of illegal immi- grants has been raised many times in Parliament. In 1974 Hong Kong re- ceived about 33,000 legal immigrants from China, and the present strains on housing and the social services in Hong Kong are so severe that in November of that year, 1974, the Hong Kong Government had to re-introduce the policy which had been in abeyance since 1967 of refusing entry to those without permission to leave China. It is a ques- tion of necessity.

91. Could you tell us what is the percentage of these immigrants to the natural growth of population in Hong Kong? (Mr O'Keeffe.) Legals and illegals?

92. Yes. I understand there is a rapid natural growth of population and the marginal number of immigrants in rela- tion to the natural growth of the popu- lation would suggest this is not a major problem?-As far as we can tell, the total flow of immigrants in 1974 seems to have been about 54,000, legal and illegal. The total growth of the popu- lation was 80,000 a year1.

93. It is about 50 per cent?—It is less than 50 per cent of the total growth of the population. If one extrapolates this into British terms and one thinks that the population of Britain is 12 times that of Hong Kong and you multiply that number by 12, you will see the strain of Hong Kong's public services.

1 Note by Witness: 80,000 is the annual average natural increase 1964-74. In 1974 the figure was 63,000.

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Hong Kong's public services have been under a very great strain since 1948, and Hong Kong is beginning to master these problems, but at the same time there is this continuing flow of legal immigrants and therefore the problem has to be limited in some way or another.

Mr Sandelson

94. Would you see our policies on Hong Kong vis-a-vis Peking are all part and parcel of our general desire to im- prove relations with Peking all along the line, taking the view that China presents hopeful possibilities for the future in terms of her relationship with this country and with the West, and that we share certain common antipathies look- ing at the world as a whole. Is that the view you would take? -(Mr Hawley.) I think that would be broadly right.

Mr Conlan

95. Is there a formal understanding with China on illegal immigrants? (Mr O'Keeffe.) No formal understand- ing.

96. Is there an informal understand- ing? The Chinese Government know of our policy towards illegal immigrants.

Mr Roper

97. Could I ask a question about the constitution again. Would it be possible, if there were an enlargement of the Legislative Council, to not just allow for greater official representation, but also to expand the unofficial represent- ation to make it more representative of a variety of Chinese interests in Hong Kong? (Mr Hawley.) The Legislative Council was last increased in size in 1972 to 30, which includes 15 unofficial members and the Hong Kong Govern- ment are aware that the workload on pre- sent members is continually increasing, which is another reason for looking at it. In his annual speech to the Legislative Council on 8th October, the Governor did indicate that in his view there is room for change in the Legislative Council, whilst retaining its essential character.

98. If you were going to expand the unofficial representation, would the Government look in the direction of some of the people who are bus inspec- tors and the sort to put on to a commit-