Mr. Jox ཚང
Foreign & Commonwealth
Office
С
13 February 1992
Matthew Taylor Esq MP House of Commons
LONDON SW1A OAA
Dear Me Taylor
London SWIA 2AH
From The Minister of State
fm 14/2
MATE Williams Mr Songyti.
p.a.
Bw
1412
Thank you for your letter of 31 January to Tim Renton enclosing one from Mr David Weaver, Treasurer of the HMOCS Association, about arrangements for expatriate Civil Servants in Hong Kong. Tim has passed them on to me for reply.
The Government stand by their previous assurances. In March 1985 following questions in both Houses, Janet Young states that HMG fully recognised the particular concerns of HMOCS officers in Hong Kong and would continue to keep their interests in mind in the 12 years leading up to 1997. Richard Luce amplified this in a letter to the Overseas Service Pensioners' Association on 15 April 1985.
When I was in Hong Kong in July 1991 I confirmed that we were in the process of drawing up appropriate arrangements for members of HMOCS in Hong Kong which recognise the change in sovereignty in 1997. I am sorry that this process has taken so much longer than any of us would have wished or expected. However, consideration entered a new phase with the visit to Hong Kong by a team of Whitehall officials in December 1991, and further progress has been made since then.
We appreciate HMOCs officers' need to know well before the end of June 1992 what arrangements will be put in place, since the arrangements could have a bearing on whether or not to opt for the new pension scheme. I regret that I cannot be specific about timing, but hope to be able to make an announcement soon.
I hope this will provide a measure of reassurance to Mr Weaver.
You Sicerely
Malch Gaither
THE EARL OF CAITHNESS