TNAG-2154-FCO40-3074-Human-rights-in-Hong-Kong-United-Nations-Committee-on-the-El-1990 — Page 37

FCO40 Hong Kong Department Records 聯邦事務部香港部檔案 All

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MDLIAN 0337

10. IN SUM, WE BELIEVE THAT IT WOULD BE DETRIMENTAL TO INTRODUCE LEGISLATION GOVERNING EQUAL PAY. WE WERE THEREFORE WONDERING WHETHER THE UK RESERVATION TO ARTICLE 2(F) MIGHT ALSO BE USED AS A DEFENCE WERE WE TO DECIDE NOT TO ENACT EQUAL PAY LEGISLATION AS SOON AS THE CONVENTION WAS APPLIED ? WE WOULD OF COURSE, KEEP THE SITUATION UNDER REVIEW, AND LOOK FOR A TIME WHEN THE ECONOMIC DISADVANTAGES WERE LESS COMPELLING TO GO AHEAD WITH THE LEGISLATION. OUR MAIN CONCERN WITH THIS LINE, THOUGH, IS THAT IT MIGHT BE DEEMED TO BE INCOMPATIBLE WITH THE OBJECT AND PURPOSE OF THE CONVENTION. IN THIS CONNECTION YOU WILL NOTE THAT HONG KONG HAS CONSISTENTLY ENTERED SPECIFIC RESERVATIONS, IN RESPECT OF THE INTERNATIONAL COVENANT ON ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS AND SOME RELEVANT ILO CONVENTIONS, ON THE RIGHT TO INTRODUCE EQUAL PAY FOR EQUAL WORK LEGISLATION. GRATEFUL FOR YOUR VIEWS.

11. FINALLY WE ARE CURRENTLY CONSIDERING WHICH OF THE UK RESERVATIONS ENTERED ON BEHALF OF THE DEPENDENT TERRITORIES WE WOULD NEED TO HAVE APPLIED. IT APPEARS THAT SOME (FOR EXAMPLE THAT ON ARTICLE 13, TAXATION) WOULD BE INAPPROPRIATE FOR HONG KONG. WOULD YOU SEE ANY OBJECTION TO EXTENDING ONLY SOME OF THE EXISTING RESERVATIONS TO HONG KONG ?

WILSON

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60

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.HONG KONG AGREEMENT

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LIMITED

HKD

HD/FED

RESEARCH D (FE)

PUSD NEWS D

PS/MR MAUDE

PS/LORD BRABAZON

MR MCLAREN

MR BURNS

ADDITIONAL

3

MR WHOMERSLEY LEGAL ADVISERS MS BARRETT LEGAL ADVISERS NNNN

MR FIFOOT LEGAL ADVISERS

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