CODE 18-77
34
Now hills
Mr Williamson
J 30.00
PA (om HKR 234/1)
MR STRACHAN HEPPEL (DHSS)
1.
Reference.
HKK 234/1
NALIVED IN CO
INDEK
3 0 OCT 1979
OFFICES
Mr IPAN W/X X
го
Mr Heppel telephoned this morning to ask whether the Governor was going to be available in London when he came to the UK next month. Mr Heppel had it in mind to ask Sir M MacLehose whether he had any plans which he (Mr Heppel) might facilitate by visiting Hong Kong, either briefly or for a more extended period. Mr Heppel made it clear that he was not seeking to organise a visit for himself, he was merely trying to arrange his plans for the coming year. He had been thinking particularly of the social security scheme which has been under discussion for some time.
2.
I explained that the Governor would be going into hospital on arrival here and we were not arranging any engagements for him. I did not know what would happen about the contributory social security scheme; the Governor had said in his recent Legco speech that no decisions had been taken, and that, so far as we knew, was in fact the position.
3.
We should bear Mr Heppel's continued interest in Hong Kong, and willingness to help, in mind. There is no-one else in Whitehall who combines his knowledge of the social security system in this country with practical experience of conditions in Hong Kong.
29 October 1979
R JT McLaren