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posting to meet HMG's commitments in other dependent territories
and to give wider experience to officers who return to Hong Kong.
5. In order to achieve these aims terms and conditions of service
in Hong Kong would need to be broadly in line with those in other
dependent territories. The recommendations of the Hong Kong 1971
Salaries Commission, if accepted, go some way to solve Hong Kong's
domestic staffing problems. They do not, and cannot help to bring
about the mobility of administrative officers which we believe is
essential to the long term staffing of higher posts in Hong Kong
and also to meeting HMG's worldwide commitments.
6. The World Wide Review of expatriate staffing needs of dependent
territories now being undertaken in the FCO aims to meet this
requirement. On present thinking we envisage new arrangements by
which UK-based administrative staff in the dependent territories
would enjoy as far as possible uniform grades, salary scales and
general terms of service applicable in all dependent territories.
These arrangements would be underwritten by HMG and involve assistance
from UK. It is doubtful however how far there could be guarantees
of interchangeability or absorption into the UK Public Services.
It is essential to associate the expatriate element of the Hong
Kong Administrative Service as far as possible with the new proposals
once these have taken concrete form. The intention is they should
cover all types of administrative officers whether new recruits,
serving officers in the field or seconded officers from the
Diplomatic Service or the Home Civil Service.
7. The Hong Kong Government may be reluctant to relinquish the
idea of a self-contained service. On the other hand a career based
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