§ Mr. Sillarsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many persons charged and found guilty of offences in connection with the 1967 riots in Hong King are still in prison.
§ Mr. Anthony RoyleSeven of those found guilty of offences arising from the 1967 disturbances are still serving prison sentences.
§ Mr. Sillarsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many penal establishments there are in Hong King; how many of these are exclusively for juveniles; and if he will list, by establishment, the number of prisoners now serving sentence.
There are 15 penal establishments in Hong Kong of which 4 are exclusively for juveniles. The number of offenders serving sentence as at the 21st of November 1972 were:
Stanley Maximum Security Prison 2,293 Chi Ma Wan Open Prison 590 Victoria Reception Centre 285 Tai Lam Addiction Treatment Centre 502 Ma Po Ping Addiction Treatment Centre 709 Stanley Training Centre 242 Cape Collinson Training Centre 241 Tai Tarn Gap Training Centre 161 Sha Tsui Detention Centre 102 Tai Lam Centre for Women 104 Kwun Tong Hostel 32 Castle Peak Boys' Home 91 O Pui Shan Boys' Home 93 Begonia Aao Boys' Home 85 Ma Tau Wei Girls' Home 50 Total 5,580
§ Mr. Sillarsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in which year corporal punishment was abolished in Hong Kong penal establishments.
§ Mr. Anthony RoyleCorporal punishment in Hong Kong penal establishments is still permitted as a last resort. Under prison rules the Commissioner of Prisons may with the approval of the162W Governor, and provided the Governor is satisfied that no other form of authorised punishment will prove effective, award corporal punishment to any male offender for the following offences:
- (a) Mutiny;
- (b) Incitement to mutiny; and
- (c) Gross person violence against officers of the Prisons Department.
§ Mr. Sillarsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what official estimate exists of the number of prostitutes in Hong Kong; and if he will make a statement on the policy measures adopted by the Government of Hong Kong to eliminate prostitution.
§ Mr. Anthony RoyleNo official estimate is made for the number of prostitutes in Hong Kong. In 1971, however, 641 persons were convicted for soliciting.
Measures to counter prostitution include legislation against related activities such as soliciting, trafficking in women, keeping a brothel and pimping. In addition, rehabilitation is undertaken by the Government's Social Welfare Department and by voluntary agencies.
§ Mr. Sillarsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what official surveys of the number of beggars in Hong Kong have been undertaken in recent years; and in what publications the official findings of these surveys can be found.
§ Mr. Anthony RoyleSample surveys of beggars in Hong Kong are conducted from time to time by the Social Welfare Department. The latest was in March, 1971.
This showed a 50 per cent. decline in the number of beggars since 1968.
The survey has not been published, but I will write to the hon. Member with further details.
§ Mr. Sillarsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what official public assistance schemes are now operating in Hong Kong; and if he will make a statement giving details of the benefits paid in cash under each scheme.
§ Mr. Anthony RoyleThere is one public assistance scheme in Hong Kong which is reviewed annually. Any eligible person who has an income below the level prescribed by the scheme is paid 163W an allowance to meet the difference. The present level provides for a maximum monthly cash allowance of Hong Kong dollars 110 for a single person, Hong Kong dollars 80 each for the first three family members (of whatever age), Hong Kong dollars 65 each for the next three and Hong Kong dollars 50 each for any other members, plus an allowance for rent, educational expenses, essential travelling expenses and any other special needs, e.g. for a special diet.
§ Mr. Sillarsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish figures showing the number of persons in Hong Kong, in the last financial year, estimated to have a monthly income in Hong Kong money of under 400 dollars, 400 to 500 dollars, 500 to 600 dollars. 600 to 700 dollars, 700 to 1,000 dollars, 1,000 to 1,500 dollars, 1,500 to 3,000 dollars 3,000 to 10,000 dollars, 10,000 to 30,000 dollars, and above 30,000 dollars, respectively.
§ Mr. Anthony RoyleComprehensive figures of individual incomes in Hong Kong are not available as Inland Revenue statistics do not provide a complete coverage. The figures for household incomes in the 1971 census of population and housing, which in many respects provide a more realistic picture, are as follows:
NUMBER AND PERCENTAGE DISTRIBUTION OF HOUSEHOLD INCOME IN 1971 Income (H.K. dollars) Number of Domestic Households Percentage of Total Domestic Households 200 41,457 4.8 200–399 90,113 10.5 400–599 205,511 24.0 600–799 169,023 19.7 800–999 96,973 11.3 1,000–1,199 81,302 9.5 1,200–1,499 62,249 7.3 1,500–1,999 40,384 4.7 2,000–2,499 28,333 3.3 2,500–4,499 27,215 3.2 4,500 and over 14,448 1.7 Total 857,008 100.0
§ Mr. Sillarsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his estimate of the proportion of the Hong Kong population living below the current official definition of poverty; and how this compares with each of the previous 12 years, using for each indi- 164W vidual year the official definition of poverty applied at that time.
§ Mr. Anthony RoyleThere is no official definition of poverty in Hong Kong. The public assistance scheme (details of which were given today in answer to the hon. Member) does, however, provide for the needy. No one eligible for assistance need now live below the income level prescribed by the scheme. At the end of August of this year there were a total of 16,207 people in receipt of assistance under the scheme. This compares with 7,000 in January, 1971 when the new scheme was first introduced, but neither figure takes account of the numbers who could apply for assistance under the scheme but do not choose to do so. The Government have produced a White Paper giving details of a proposed comprehensive Five Year Plan for social welfare for the period 1973–78.
§ Mr. Sillarsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will state in income terms the Hong Kong Government's current official definition of a poor family; and how this compares with the definition applied in each of the last 12 years.
§ Mr. Anthony RoyleThere is no official definition.
The level of assistance provided under the public assistance scheme (details of which were given in an answer today to the hon. Member) is however relevant, since the purpose is to raise a poor family's income to a minimum standard. The level of assistance was substantially improved earlier this year and is about 60 per cent. higher than in 1971 when the present scheme was introduced; about two and a half times higher than the level between 1967 and 1971; and about three times higher than the level before 1967. The level is subject to annual review.
§ Mr. Sillarsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, taking 1960 as the base factor, he will indicate the percentage increase in the cost of living in Hong Kong in each year since then.
§ Mr. Anthony RoyleThe annual percentage movements of the Hong Kong retail price index from 1961 to 1964 and subsequently of the consumer price index which replaced it, are as follows: 165W
Retail Price Index 1961 1.2 1962 -2.0 1963 2.5 1964 3.1 The average annual increase in the years 1961–64 was 1.2 per cent.
Consumer Price Index 1965 0.7 1966 2.6 1967 6.2 1968 2.5 1969 7.1 1970 7.3 1971 3.4 1972 5.5* * Estimates based on Index of first 10 months. The average annual increase in the years 1965–72 was 3.9 per cent.
§ Mr. Sillarsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
Financial Year Major disputes Minor wage claims Strikes Man-days lost 1966–67 … … … … … … 40 2,588 17 28,635 1967–68 … … … … … … 68 3,093 8 5,231 1968–69 … … … … … … 78 3,271 28 13,902 1969–70 … … … … … … 127 3,372 32 37,141 1970–71 … … … … … … 140 4,195 49 53,733 1971–72 … … … … … … 130 4,694 40 21,204