§ 2. Mr. Lamondasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many of the members of the Hong Kong Executive Council or Legislative Council are industrial workers.
§ Mr. KershawOn the Executive and Legislative Councils there are no industrial workers in the sense of manual workers, although industry and commerce are well represented.
§ Mr. LamondWould it not be fair and just if the 4 million ordinary working people in Hong Kong had some representation on these Legislative and Executive Councils as a first step towards the creation of a proper, democratically elected governing body for this Crown colony for which we are responsible?
§ Mr. KershawThe hon. Gentleman will be aware that Hong Kong is run through a complex pattern of statutory boards, councils and committees. On those which are concerned with industrial employees, workers sit as individuals and representatives of trade unions. As the hon. Gentleman knows, constitutional de- 4 velopment as we know it in other territories is not open to Hong Kong.
§ Mr. BlakerWill my hon. Friend tell us how many industrial workers were in the last Labour Cabinet?
§ Mr. KershawNot without a great deal of research which I should find rather tedious.
§ Mr. FoleyWould the Minister describe the Executive Council of Hong Kong as being fully representative? What steps is he taking to make sure that it represents the totality of the people who live and work there and give it its existence?
§ Mr. KershawIt is of course the aim of the representation on these various councils that it should be representative. As the hon. Gentleman knows, there will be a further choice of representatives for the Executive and other Councils on 30th June. No doubt the Governor will bear in mind what the hon. Gentleman has said.