HC Deb 16 July 1975 vol 895 cc1483-4
10. Mr. Hal Miller

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the plans of the Hong Kong Government for the provision of free secondary education for all who want it; and what progress has been made to date with the implementation of those plans.

Mr. Ennals

The Hong Kong Government have not announced such plans. However, the number of secondary school places is being expanded. These are heavily subsidised and a generous system of fee remission is designed to ensure that no child is denied secondary education on financial grounds.

Mr. Miller

Will the Minister of State accept that the whole object of the Chinese population in Hong Kong is to improve itself, that traditionally it has paid the greatest attention to education, and that his reply is therefore extremely disappointing, in the light of the support that the Chinese population afforded the Hong Kong Government at the time of the 1967 riots, and the strenuous efforts of the population concerning education in view of the very patchy standards and unreasonable charges in the private middle schools, where in some cases, to my personal knowledge, there have been instances of corruption?

Mr. Ennals

Certainly the Hong Kong Government would like to move faster, but education plans must be kept within the colony's financial capabilities, with due regard to other development priorities. The Hong Kong Government's plans are to make the three years of secondary education available to all children and a further two years available to 40 per cent. of them, but, because of the budgetary restraint to which I have referred, this will not now be possible before September 1980.

Mr. James Johnson

While applauding the magnificent efforts made by the Hong Kong Government in education, may I ask the Minister to turn his mind to an equally important state in Hong Kong—the state of corruption? Will he comment, following the Godber case, on what progress has been made by the independent corruption commission?

Mr. Ennals

I would ask my hon. Friend to put down a Question on that subject.