2
I sympathise with the problems faced by your visa posts because of increased Hong Kong business and I fully share (as I know you do) their concern that increased pressure of work should not lead to any decline in standards. We will be glad to look into any suggestions for reducing their workload. Unfortunately the suggestion that they should be reinforced from Hong Kong does not seem to be practicable. UK visa and entry permit work in Hong Kong is handled by us at no charge to HMG (we employ about 30 officers for this work). I do not, therefore, see how we could justify to our financial authorities the provision of Hong Kong based staff for work in UK visa posts. I very much hope, therefore, that you will not need to turn to Hong Kong to provide whatever staff you may need to maintain the standard of visa work in these posts.
Perhaps we could discuss this when we meet on
19 July?
Yours sincerely
RE
R G B Bridge Director of Immigration
bcc FCO (HK & Gen Dept)
S for S
PA
Commissioner, London Office