Viscountess ASTORasked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies if he has yet received a reply to his request for a report from the officer administering the government of the Colony of Hong Kong as to the number of brothels known to the authorities in the Colony and the number of women in them; and if the secretary for Chinese Affairs still passes girls and women into the known brothels in the Colony on their request and registers them as inmates of such houses?
§ Dr. SHIELSThe report has not yet been received by my Noble Friend. He has no information as to any change in the methods of protection of women and48W girls undertaken by the Hong Kong Government.
Viscountes ASTORasked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies if he has yet received from the Governor and the High Commissioner of the Straits Settlements and the Federated Malay States their detailed observations and proposals on the several recommendations of the committees which reported, respectively, in August, 1925, and March, 1929 (Cmd. 2501 and Cmd. 3294), on the subjects of brothel-keeping, medical examinations of prostitutes, and the protection of women and girls?
§ Dr. SHIELSThe answer is in the affirmative. If so desired, a copy of the High Commissioner's despatch and my Noble Friend's reply will be placed in the Library of the House.