§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if there were any prosecutions in Hong Kong for the years 1975 and 1976 for taking a person in or out of the colony for the purposes of prostitution; and what was the average sentence or fine.
§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the estimated number of prostitutes in Hong Kong; how many are thought to be non-Chinese; what is the estimate of the number of brothels currently in operation; how many persons were charged with operating a brothel in the years 1975 and 1976; and how many prosecutions were brought for living on immoral earnings in those years.
§ Mr. LuardNo estimate of the number of prostitutes in Hong Kong or of their nationality is available. It is not possible to estimate accurately the number of brothels in operation. 360 people were charged with operating a brothel in 1975 and 1,058 in 1976. There were 66 charges, involving 37 people, for living on immoral earnings in 1975 and 71, involving 46 people, in 1976.
§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if it is the practice that when girls below the age of 16 years are found in brothels in Hong Kong, proven customers are charged with carnal knowledge; and how many such cases there have been in 1975 and 1976.
§ Mr. LuardProven customers of girls below the age of 16 found in brothels are charged with carnal knowledge, but statistics of the numbers prosecuted in these circumstances are not available.
§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 521W whether a citizen in Hong Kong can initiate a private prosecution for a corruption case that occurred prior to 1st January 1977; whether the Attorney-General could intervene to stop such an action; and whether the Governor has any powers to direct the Attorney-General over such an action.
§ Mr. LuardAnybody may seek to institute a prosecution under the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance, irrespective of the date of the alleged offence. All such prosecutions require the consent of the Attorney-General. The Governor has no power to direct the Attorney-General in the exercise of this power.
§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether an individual member of the public in Hong Kong can ask the courts for an order to be issued to the Commissioner for the Independent Commission Against Corruption to investigate a specific complaint alleging a corruption offence prior to 1st January 1977; whether the Attorney-General has powers to stop such an action; and in the event of the issue of such an order, whether the Commissioner would carry it out.
§ Mr. LuardAny member of the public can ask the courts for such an order, but the application would be opposed by the Attorney-General. Under Section 18A of the Independent Commission Against Corruption Ordinance, the Commissioner is prohibited, subject to certain exceptions, from investigating complaints about corruption offences which are alleged to have been committed prior to 1st January 1977. In the light of this provision, the courts are not empowered to make an order compelling the Commisioner to investigate alleged corruption offences committed before that date, unless they fall within the exceptions referred to above.
§ Mr. Ronald Atkinsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his estimate of the number of factories and workplaces paying wages below the legally acceptable minimum in Hong Kong and the number they employ.
§ Mr. Ronald Atkinsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he is satisfied that the employment ordinance in Hong Kong giving all workers seven days annual vacation leave and one days leave in seven is being observed by all employers.
§ Mr. LuardThe rest days are being generally observed. Employers have until the end of 1978 to grant the seven days' annual vacation leave. But there are no grounds to believe that significant problems will arise over the enforcement of these provisions of the employment ordinance.
§ Mr. Ronald Atkinsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs at what age compulsory education ceases for children in Hong Kong.
§ Mr. LuardAt present at the age of 12. From September 1979 compulsory education will be extended to children under 14, and from September 1980 to any children under 15 who have not yet completed three years' secondary education.
§ Mr. Ronald Atkinsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the total of the fines imposed last year in Hong Kong for the employment of children.
§ Mr. Ronald Atkinsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many workers in Hong Kong were killed or injured at work in 1976 and 1977, respectively; and what proportion of the labour force this represents.
§ Mr. LuardFull statistics are not available. However, the following figures show the number of accidents giving rise to claims for workmen's compensation in the years in question:
1976 1977 Number of cases Percentage of labour force (1.952 million) Number of cases Percentage of labour force (1.951 million) Injuries 44,808 2.30 49,589 2.54 Deaths 249 0.01 265 0.01