§ Mr. LawrenceTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his estimate of the number of managerial and professional persons resident in Hong Kong in each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement on his current assessment of the likelihood of a drain of managerial and professional persons from Hong Kong.
§ Mr. Douglas Hogg[holding answer 20 February 1991]: The Hong Kong Government estimate that the number of managerial and professional people (including administrative and technical personnel) resident in Hong Kong in each of the past five years was:
Number 1986 262,000 1987 279,000 1988 302,000 1989 318,000 1990 328,000 The Hong Kong Government estimate that the number of emigrants who fall into these categories in each of the past five years was as follows:
Number 1986 2,600 1987 7,400 1988 11,200 1989 9,800 1990 14,500 The Hong Kong Government believe that, despite loss through emigration, the number of highly educated and professionally skilled persons in Hong Kong should not 329W fall in future years if the present trend of local young people graduating overseas continues. Furthermore, Hong Kong's own tertiary institutions are rapidly expanding their output of new graduates. The figures are:
Number 1986 2,800 1987 3,000 1988 3,600 1989 4,300 1990 5,000 It is estimated that by 1996 Hong Kong will be producing over 17,000 new first degree graduates per year.