8
HKB 286/
¡ECEIVED IN REGISTRY
Mr A Paúl, HKD
P301,
Miss Harsdow
Pl discuss
CONFIDENTIAL
W/3/3
From:
J N Elam
07 APR 1990
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
BA
Cultural Relations Department
Mr
Stone.
Date:
6 March 1990
CC:
PS/Mr Maude
PS/Mr Sainsbury
Miss Spencer
Mr McLaren
received 081500
UK/HK JOINT FUNDING SCHEME
1. You asked if CRD could agree to Hong Kong's request for an
increase in HMG's contribution to the Hong Kong fee support scheme
for 1990/91 and subsequent years.
2.
CRD's approach to the question should be seen against the following background. Fee support schemes were introduced as interim measures in 1983/4 in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Cyprus, Bermuda and the Cayman Islands to offset the adverse effects of full cost fees for overseas students. They are designed to make up the
difference between the UK home and overseas tuition rates. The
sending Government administer and select all the candidates. There
is no discrimination in selection on academic or merit grounds. The
fundamental FCOSAS criterion of the potential benefit to the UK of
the candiate is not applied.
3.
Ministers decided in 1987 that fee support schemes had achieved their objective of reversing the downward trend in the numbers of students coming to the UK from these territories, and that the
schemes should be phased out. The resulting savings were to be deployed through the FCO's Scholarships and Awards Scheme for targetted awards of greater and more direct benefit to the UK's interests. But the then Secretary of State ruled that on political grounds the Hong Kong scheme should be maintained and we continue to contribute ₤2m pa for these reasons.
/4.
In that
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CONFIDENTIAL