§ Mr. Sillarsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what percentage of the Hong Kong population is Chinese.
§ Mr. Anthony RoyleEthnically and on the basis of language, about 981 per cent. of the Hong Kong population could be described as Chinese.
§ Mr. Sillarsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received from organisations in Hong Kong to promote Chinese as an official langauge in that Colony; what replies he has sent; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Anthony RoyleMy right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has received representations on this subject from the "All Hong Kong Working Party to promote Chinese as an Official Language" and from the Hong Kong University Students' Union. I have likewise received representations, through the hon. Member for Barking (Mr. Driberg), from the Hong Kong Federation of Students.
In all three cases replies were sent suggesting that the authors of the representations should make known their views to the Committee set up by the Hong Kong Government to look into the question. Her Majesty's Government agree that this is an important issue which deserves careful study and note that it is already the Hong Kong Government's policy to use the Chinese language in communications whenever this is in the interests of the public and of good administration.