From The Minister of State
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
London SW1A 2AH
5 February 1988
HULD
256/1
12 Feftim N 8/2
-GFEB 1988
PA
Yea, Loud Gren
1
When we met on 3 November 1987 to discuss Hong Kong MOCS pensions I said that I would write to you in due course after we had studied the memorandum which you left with me. We subsequently received a supplementary memorandum from Mr Pusinelli, explaining OSPA's case in greater detail.
First let me reiterate the assurances which my predecessors have already given about these matters: we fully recognise the concerns of serving and former members of HMOCS in Hong Kong in respect of pensions and are continuing to keep their interests in mind in the period before 1997. For these reasons my officials have given very careful consideration to the various points you raised with me personally, and which are covered in the two memoranda.
Let me also emphasise the point, which has been made to OSPA on previous occasions, that the Joint Declaration specifically provides for the continued payment of pensions to overseas pensioners on terms "no less favourable than before" inside Hong Kong or elsewhere. That is a clear and firm undertaking in respect of the period after 1997 and one from which I believe OSPA should derive considerable reassurance. There are no grounds for believing that a future Hong Kong SAR
The Lord Grey of Naunton GCMG GCVO OBE President
Overseas Service Pensioners' Association 63 Church Road
HOVE
Sussex
BN32BD
/government