State.
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to become
poze
677.
Argument
13. It is clearly now inappropriate for the Secretary of State (HMG) to be involved in appointments to so many posts in the Hong Kong Government. The Hong Kong Government employs about 180,000 civil servants and has an administration considerably more sophisticated than that of other dependent territories. It/already has a large degree of autonomy which we should seek to reinforce. It would be inappropriate to sustain a colonial system, which could be
might seal Kläke over taken over by the Chinese pos
Chinese post 1997.
14.
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notwithstanding Ike Batie, Las
The current practice of approving appointments to so
many of the offices in the Hong Kong Civil Service and Judiciary (the majority of/which pertain to positions below the most senior grades) also results in large amount
'A' of unnecessary and time consuming paperwork for both Hong Kong Government and HMG., The approval is now only a rubber-stamp in most cases.
REFERENCE TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE IN THE HONG KONG
PENSIONS ORDINANCE CAP89
15. In 1987, the Hong Kong Government introduced amendments to its Pensions Ordinance and at this time suggested that all references to the need to seek the Secretary of State's
approval in the Ordinance should be deleted. However, on the advice of the fegal Advisers, the practice of referring to the Secretary of State in eleven sections of the
Ordinance was continued and dealt with at Departmental
level.
16. It has now been agreed with the Hong Kong Government
and Legal Advisers that referral to the Secretary of State In the majority of these matters is now unnecessary. Indeed
most of the references concern provisions which are either
NIKAAV/5
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