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4. Mr Glover raises:
(a) Future arrangements for HMOCS members. He asks for a
briefing on progress and an assurance that these arrangements will be the same for all members of HMOCs,
irrespective of when they joined or their previous
conditions of service;
(b) HMOCS pensions.
He challenges our statement that
pensions are the responsibility of the Hong Kong Government
and argues that HMG must guarantee the pensions of all Crown
servants for their service up to 1997;
(c) Status of non-British wives of HMOCS members. He
complains about the lengthy processing of applications under Section 6(2) of the British Nationality Act 1981 and seeks a guarantee of British consular protection for British citizens of Chinese or part-Chinese origin in Hong Kong
after 1997.
Argument
5. We can add nothing to our earlier statements on the question of "special arrangements" for members of HMOCS (a compensation/incentive scheme) or sterling safeguards. These matters are currently under consideration. However, we can assure Mr Glover that any compensation arrangements will apply to all members of HMOCS: the date at which an officer became a member of HMOCS and/or the fact that he may have transferred from contract to pensionable terms will have no bearing.
6. On pensions we have always maintained that payment is a matter for the Hong Kong Government. However, the
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