Mr Bickford
COVERING CONFIDENTIAL
1. You will wish to see the attached copy of a letter and two charts sent from the Civil Service Branch in Hong Kong dealing with the safeguards available, particularly to Civil Servants, under investigation for corruption.
2. My first reaction is that, despite what I had been told, the intervention of any outside body in the ICAC's procedures is minimal. The Operations Target Committee can be consulted during the enquiry process by ICAC but it appears that in the case of "a simple enquiry" the whole process could be carried out without reference either to the Operations Target Committee or to the Advisory Committee,
3. In the case of a Government official, the officer concerned is, of course, protected by a mandatory reference to the Public Service Commission, Police Service Commission or Judicial Service Commission, It does seem clear, however, that surveillance by the FCO is a continuing necessity.
JAB Stewart
17 August 1977
Hong Kong & General Dept
oc: OLA
OPA
COVERING CONFIDENTIAL
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