MINISTER
WORKS
AND
DIE
PUBLIC BUILDING
R
OF
MO 1347/1
cha
Mrs Hart for Golsunty. Mr Wallace
5
Mr W.S. Carter a ché
LAMBETH BRIDGE HOUSE
LONDON, S.E.I
13th January, 1967
Dear flabat,
I have been considering telegram No. 26 dated 9th January from Hong Kong about the transfer of my Ministry's locally engaged staff to the Hong Kong Government. I find that the arrangements envisaged by the Governor are essentially the same as those considered unsatisfactory by the Defence and Overseas Policy Committee at their meeting on 19th December. You will remember that in the light of this meeting Fred Lee forwarded to the Governor a letter which I wrote to him on 22nd December setting out our position.
The Governor bases himself on the precedent he says has been created by the arrangements which were made on the closure of the Naval Dockyard. To my mind, however, the two situations are entirely different. When the Dockyard was closed the work ceased. In the present case the work goes on, even though carried out by the Public Works Department instead of my Ministry.
I am also surprised that in the light of his knowledge of the strong views held by Ministers here, the Governor apparently sees no need even for any further discussion. He gives no evidence of having considered the views of Denis Healey which I mentioned in my letter to Fred Lee.
You will remember that the Defence and Overseas Policy Committee required us to consider the question whether full responsibility for Ministry of Defence Works Services should be transferred to the Hong Kong Government, and we cannot make substantial progress on this until we have reached a more satisfactory position on the staff question. This question apart, there will be a considerable number of points to be discussed with the Hong Kong Government in connection with the hand-over, and if this is to take place on 1st April these discussions must be initiated quickly in Hong Kong by the team I am proposing to send out. But clearly, before we move any further,
it is essential that you, Denis Healey and I should discuss this situa- tion as
a matter of urgency, and decide between us how it should best be handled. I am asking my Private Secretary to arrange an early meeting.
$
I am sending a copy of this letter to Denis Healey.
16/
12.
Yours,
Reg
REG PRENTICE
The Rt. Hon. Herbert Bowden, C.B.E., M.P.