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Policy on payment of pensions
5.
HMG's usual policy when dependency becomes independent is to
try to persuade new Government to take on liability for payment of all pensions and of compensation, where appropriate, for members of Her Majesty's Overseas Civil Service who have served there. Aim would be that arrangements agreed for future of Hong Kong would
allow for Hong Kong Government to continue to bear this liability,
or at least that liability would not fall to HMG.
6. This, however, will have to be considered in light of
circumstances at time. HMG has under the Overseas Pensions Act 1973
assumed responsibility for payment of pensions to overseas officers
of certain former dependencies. Also precedents (eg Aden) for HMG assuming responsibility for payment of ex-gratia Ioan advances to local officers who had served before independence where new
Government reneged on agreement to accept liability for pensions.
Hong Kong Department
September 1983
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