Mr Hague,
We spoke.
Jis13
HKD 340/4
RECEP
REGISTRY 23 MAY 1990
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
FROM: M C CLEMENTS
M19AAJ
Reference
Resource Management Dept
DATE: 13 March 1990
REGISTRY
PA
Action Taken
Mr Griffiths, Finance Dept Mr Harrington, NTD
Mr Blatherwick f.i.
CODE 18.77
Mr Morris
Hong Kong Dept
(189
HONG KONG ASSURANCES : COSTS OF UK TEAM
1.
1164
You asked for urgent advice on how to reply to the letter of 9 March from Page in the Home Office's Immigration and Nationality Department.
2. I understand that the legislation will make clear that the UK staff to be posted to Hong Kong will be acting on behalf of the Home Secretary but that it has not yet been decided whether the UK staff will be attached to BTC in Hong Kong or to the Hong Kong Immigration Department. If they are attached to BTC, then their position will be analogous to Drugs Liaison Officers: they would be staff occupied 100% on the work of another department and the Diplomatic Wing would charge that Department in full any costs falling to the Diplomatic Wing (eg rents, other local costs and overheads). This is the normal position when staff from other Government departments are attached to our missions and are engaged on work for their parent department. We would not treat them as "other Consular outposts abroad" unless the Home Office formally transferred the slots and funding for them to our books by means of a PES transfer. The staff would then become part of our Establishment and we would have provision for them.
If, however, the UK staff were attached to the Hong Kong Immigration Department, the Diplomatic Wing would not need to get involved at all. This would be an arrangement directly between the Home Office and the Hong Kong Government.
3.
We would much prefer that the Home Office staff are seconded to the Hong Kong Immigration Department. This appears also to be the Treasury's preference. If, however, the staff are to be attached or seconded to BTC, then there are two funding possibilities:
a.
b.
The UK slots remain on the Home Office books with Diplomatic Wing providing local support and charging the Home Office the full costs thereof; or
The Diplomatic Wing takes the slots on to its books following a PES transfer from the Home Office.
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