HONG KONG PENSIONS:
ESSENTIAL FACTS
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Background
1.
There are about 100,000 local (Chinese) and 1,000 expatriate pensionable civil servants in Hong Kong. Pensions are paid out of general revenue of Hong Kong Government.
2.
Some concern among civil servants in Hong Kong about security of pension rights in event of control over territory passing from London to Peking. In late 1982 subject was raised with Hong Kong Government by Police Association and by staff in Education Department. Some references to it in press.
3. A group of Administrative Officers raised question of pensions with Lord Belstead in December 1982. They referred to verbal assurance given in 1967 by Lord Shepherd, then Minister of State at Foreign and Commonwealth Office that 'so far as he was concerned, service in the Hong Kong civil service was service under the Crown and that should the impossible happen and Hong Kong fall, HMG would honour the Crown's obligation to all Hong Kong civil servants and pensions without distinction', and discussed with Lord Belstead need for written reaffirmation of this assurance. Lord Belstead pointed to problems involved in making any written statement at all on this delicate subject. Four representatives of Administrative Officers later wrote to Governor reiterating request for general assurance
from HMG on pensions.
4. Subsequently, Hong Kong Government has managed to persuade individual civil servants and staff associations to play down issue and to avoid written correspondence. Staff Associations have taken
very responsible attitude so far. But no doubt that it is an issue of great concern.
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