CONFIDENTIAL
KEY ASSURANCES TO HMOCS OFFICERS
ANNEX A
White Papers
1. The White Paper or 1954 (Colonial Number 306) on the reorganisation of the Colonial Service and the setting up of Her Majesty's Overseas Civil Service. This explained that political developments in many of the Colonies, Protectorates and other territories dependent on HMG in the United Kingdom, made it necessary to review the situation of the Colonial Service. It was important that the progress of the overseas territories should not be set back by the premature loss of experienced staff or by failure to attract new staff which they might require. Having pointed out that under Colonial Regulations the Secretary of State was constituted as the ultimate authority for appointments, discipline, promotions and general conditions of employment, it stated (para 3):
2.
"The members of the Service and more especially those -no have been recruited for the unified branches by successive Secretaries of State - are now asking, and are entitled to ask, what will be their position if and when, as a result of constitutional changes, Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom are no longer able to exercise effective control over their tenure and conditions of employment as hitherto."
Against this background, paragraphs 6 and 7 provided as
follows:
"Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom recognise that they have a special obligation towards those officers of the Colonial Service who hold their present posts as a result of having been selected for them by the Secretary of State. Should the territory in whose public service they are employed attain self-government, these officers are entitled to expect that the following conditions will be observed:
(ii) The pensions and other benefits for which they or their dependents may be qualified under existing laws and regulations shall be similarly safeguarded.
(vi) In the event of premature retirement resulting from constitutional changes, they will receive compensation from the government of the territory concerned."
"Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom accordingly make known their intention, if and when a territory attains self-government, to ensure the
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CONFIDENTIAL