CODE 18 - 77
Mr Stagg
LABOUR RELATIONS STUDY, HONG KONG
LKK 22/5481
RECEIVLD
INDE
-3DE
761
Referenc
Mr Simpkins Accounts Department
218
I am not sure to whom I should refer this matter now that Tom Duffy, who was previously concerned, has left your Department. If it is not for you perhaps you would refer it to the appropriate person.
As you will know from your file HHK.212/548/1, ODM agreed to finance a team led by Professor H A Turner to conduct a study of labour relations in Hong Kong.
2.
3.
A proposed member of the team was Mr L J Handy of the Department of Applied Economics, Cambridge, but he was unable to proceed to Hong Kong on the precise date on which he was required and, on the insistence of Professor Turner, his appointment was cancelled at short notice.
4. Prior to ODM becoming involved in financing the study the FCO had agreed that the team members would be advanced half the honoraria due to them and would be paid the cost of their passages. In accordance with that agreement, Mr Handy was paid £800 as an advance of honoraria after signing an undertaking to repay (attached) and £720 against an invoice from Northern Travel on the grounds that the cost was within his normal passage entitlement.
5. When Mr Handy did not proceed he was asked to refund the sum of £1,520. He has not answered any of the letters (copies attached) but when contacted by telephone earlier in the proceedings he gave the excuse that he was awaiting the outcome of his claim on Northern Travel for refund or part refund of the cost of passages.
An enquiry to Northern Travel revealed that he apparently has made no application to them for a refund except when he told them by telephone ten days after he was due to travel that his visit had been cancelled. They told him at that time that had he applied before the due departure date he could almost certainly have received a refund but in view of the delay there was no possibility of doing so.
6.
Since semi-official attempts to obtain refund of the sum due had failed it is felt that some formal steps should now be taken in consultation with Legal Advisers. We do not know the precise circumstances in which Professor Turner was permitted to terminate Mr Handy's engagement or what took place between Mr Handy and yourselves at that time, and since Mr Handy was contracted under a letter issued by your Department we feel that it would be appropriate for you to pursue the matter.
7. Apparently Mr Handy has now left the Department of Applied Economics, Cambridge and the only address we have for him is the bank address to which we have been writing.
B Cook
Recruitment Executive
15 December 1977