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in Hong Kong alone is not such a recruitment attraction as it used
to be. Furthermore even long established Hong Kong expatriate
Civil Servants might welcome opportunities for service elsewhere.
8. The provision of seconded officers from the Home Civil Service
and the Diplomatic Service in greater numbers than at present will
be an important element in future expatriate staffing. There are
limits to the extent to which we can draw on the Diplomatic Service
in particular. But the first step is to get a clearer idea of
Hong Kong's estimated needs. An Interdepartmental Working Party
in Whitehall is studying this and other aspects of the general
staffing problem.
THE ROYAL HONG KONG POLICE FORCE
9. The Royal Hong Kong Police Force's strength is, in round
figures, about 14,000 with some 600 expatriates. A considerable
percentage of the senior posts in the Force are filled for security
and other reasons by overseas officers who are recruited initially by
the Crown Agents into the rank of Inspector with prospects of promotion to
the gazetted rank. The proportion of expatriate Inspectors is
maintained at 45-50%. The rapid rise in salaries and allowances
of the constable in the police force in the UK has caused serious
recruitment difficulties to Hong Kong. Any upward revision of the
salary scale for Inspectors in Hong Kong to keep in line with the
UK rates of pay would be costly, would distort the salary structure
and give local Inspectors an unwarranted increase in pay. There
is strong opposition to the re-introduction of expatriate pay in addition to basic salary in Hong Kong but any "topping up" payable
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