§ 3.8 p.m.
§ LORD SORENSENMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the second Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the political situation in Hong Kong is now calm; what further progress has been made in providing block accommodation for Chinese families; and to what extent Chinese families are now living in shanty structures.]
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, there has been no recurrence of organised violence in Hong Kong since the beginning of 1968 although a few incidents involving minor violence by individual militants have occurred. The political and security situation is otherwise satisfactory. I am happy to report that 12 of the remaining 18 Emergency Regulations are being discontinued as from June 20—that is, from to-morrow—including the Regulation conferring the power of detention.
So far as the housing situation is concerned, since March, 1967, accommodation for approximately 200,000 people has been provided by Government and Government-aided agencies. At the end of March, 1969, a total of nearly 1½ million people (approximately one-third of the total population of the Colony) were housed in accommodation provided by Government and Government-aided agencies in resettlement estates and low cost housing areas. In addition, since the war accommodation for approximately 1,370.000 people has been provided by private enterprise. At the end of March, 1969, there were estimated to be approximately 539,800 persons 1102 living in temporary structures including a large number of rural squatters in the New Territories. It is planned to house by 1974, a further 700,000 people in Government resettlement and low cost housing estates.
§ LORD SORENSENMy Lords, while expressing warm appreciation of my noble friend's reply and of the remarkable progress made in housing accommodation in Hong Kong, which gives great credit to the Government, may I ask my noble friend approximately how many are expected still to be in shanty accommodation during the next 12 months; whether the number is likely to increase, and also whether there is any likely alteration in the form of government of Hong Kong so far as democratic representation is concerned?
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, I should have thought that my noble friend's second supplementary question went rather wide of the original Question on the Order Paper. On his first supplementary question, about the numbers living in temporary structures in what is loosely described as the "squatter area", all I can say is that it is not possible to anticipate how the figure of 539,800 which I have given will change. In fact, it has changed little, despite the great advances made in permanent building, because many people front the already overcrowded pre-war tenements move into these squatter areas hoping then to get Government assistance, and Government housing.
§ LORD SEGALMy Lords, may I ask my noble friend whether Communist schools are still allowed to continue without any restriction in Hong Kong, or whether restraints are being placed upon them by the Hong Kong Government?
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, I really do not see how that supplementary question arises, but I would say to my noble friend that so long as the Communist schools act within the laws of the Colony there is no restriction upon them.
§ BARONESS SUMMERSKILLMy Lords, may I ask my noble friend whether the disturbances arise primarily from housing conditions or front the exploitation of cheap labour?
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, neither. The 1967 disturbances were, I think, a consequence of the troubles in China and also those in Macao, although clearly the social problems in Hong Kong are bound to have some influence. The direct reason for the disturbances is the one I have just mentioned.
§ LORD CARRONMy Lords, would not my noble friend agree that the accommodation provided by the Government, which he has described, would be the envy of many citizens of the United Kingdom at the present time?
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, I am not quite sure that I would agree with my noble friend because, clearly, while the resettlement estates and some of the low-cost housing represent a major achievement, one would still like to see a good deal of improvement, particularly in the space provided for families. Nevertheless, I think that the Hong Kong Government and the authorities have done a remarkable job, and I find it very hard to see how they could have done any better.
THE EARL OF SELKIRKMy Lords, would the noble Lord say that the continuance of a more or less stable population in the shanty structures is due to arrivals from Communist China?
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, there is a continual movement of refugees from China into Hong Kong. The numbers do not compare with the influx of, I think it was, 1965, but there are still a number who do get across into Hong Kong.