7. Mr. Colin Jacksonasked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the present position in Hong Kong and the task of maintaining peaceful conditions there.
§ Mr. George ThomsonSo far as the internal situation is concerned, there is little change from the reply given by my hon. Friend, the Minister of State, on 6th November to my right hon. Friend the Member for Easington (Mr. Shinwell).
Border exchanges between Hong Kong Government officials and the local Chinese border authorities were concluded on 25th November. As my statement is rather long, I will circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
Mr. JacksonCan the Secretary of State assure the House that further cases of kidnapping on the Chinese frontier in the new territories are not likely to occur? Can he tell us whether Communist activities in Hong Kong are separated from the designs and policies of the Government in Peking?
§ Mr. ThomsonI should not like to commit myself to any prophecy about the future course of events in Hong Kong. I am very happy that the exchanges I have mentioned have resulted in the return to Hong Kong of the two police constables who had been abducted and, as the House knows, the police inspector had earlier made his escape. On the second Question I think events inside Hong Kong, although always a reflection of events on the mainland of China, are not necessarily bound up with them.
§ Sir F. BennettCan the right hon. Gentleman confirm that, while the stormy conditions continue in Hong Kong and on the borders, there will be no question 1117 of a rundown of our forces, either current or proposed, in the basic garrisons of Hong Kong?
§ Mr. ThomsonWe shall do everything necessary to give support to the Hong Kong Government in maintenance of law and order and security.
§ Mr. RankinIs my right hon. Friend aware that the Bill just passed meant to keep order in Hong Kong contains a Clause borrowed from the Constitution of Southern Rhodesia which we regard as having an illegal Government?
§ Mr. ThomsonI am not aware of the particular details my hon. Friend has mentioned, but I think he has a detailed Question on that matter on the Order Paper.
§ Mr. A. RoyleWill the right hon. Gentleman say something about the economic situation in Hong Kong? What has been the effect on prices as a result of the recent devaluation and revaluation of the Hong Kong dollar?
§ Mr. ThomsonAs the House knows the Hong Kong Government first devalued entirely in line with Her Majesty's Government, and, after seeing which other countries had decided to devalue, they took the decision to revalue the currency by 10 per cent. This resulted in a net devaluation in Hong Kong of 5.7 per cent. All the evidence so far is that the response to devaluation in Hong Kong, like the response to the emergency over recent months, has been a very positive one and a good one. There is no sign of business confidence being affected.
Following is the Statement:The exchanges were confined to local frontier issues and agreement was reached on the return to British territory of two Hong Kong policemen who had been in Chinese hands for several weeks; the deportation to China of five persons arrested for offences committed in British territory; the opening of the border bridge at Man Kam To; the relocation of a wire fence which had been erected by the Hong Kong authorities in 1962 for immigration purposes; the making of payments of about £5,000 by the British side to offset losses to certain farmers from Chinese territory resulting from the closure of the Man Kam To Bridge and damage caused to certain graves by the construction of military works in British territory.The British side made it clear that they accepted no blame for the closure of Man Kam To Bridge. They also made it clear that 1118 any persons from Chinese territory who worked land on the Hong Kong side were free to cross the frontier to engage in farming and other activities provided that they behaved in a normal orderly manner.
§ 20. Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs if, when the phased reduction takes place in maximum working hours for women and young persons employed in the garment and other industries in Hong Kong, he will take steps to avoid a reduction in their weekly earnings by an increase in wage rates.
§ Mr. WhitlockThe reduction of maximum hours of work for women and young persons has been phased over five stages primarily for the purpose of avoiding a serious reduction in total earnings, in that it provides time for adjustment. The temporary permitted increase of overtime will further assist in the process of adjustment.
§ Mr. AllaunWill my hon. Friend greatly strengthen his Labour Department in Hong Kong so as to overcome the almost absolute power of the employers and to ensure that the reduction below 60 hours a week does not result in a reduction in the present appallingly low wages?
§ Mr. WhitlockThe Commissioner of Labour in Hong Kong, speaking in the Legislative Council, has already offered the Government's help and guidance to labour and management alike in carrying out the changes. My hon. Friend may rest assured that this will be closely watched. He will be aware that the overall wages paid in Hong Kong are higher than in most Asian countries. They have more than doubled in the past nine years and more than kept pace with the increase in the cost of living in that time. There is every prospect that there will be a steady upward trend in the level of wages.
§ Mr. Fletcher-CookeDoes the Minister realise that anything which increases the costs of Hong Kong will greatly please my constituents, but that at the same time, if he overloads the costs in Hong Kong, only Korea, Taiwan and Japan can benefit?
§ Mr. WhitlockI am aware of those difficulties.