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COMFIDENTIAL
ર
The
Rt Hon Sir Georfzay Howe
Secretary of State for for Forelan & Commonwealth
King Charles Street
London.
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Doce Mr harman
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11
December 1988
200
HONG KONG: GENERAL COMPENSATION &SHEME
3
SL.
ter your minute of 24 November to Nigel Lawson outlining he ́easures you consider necessary to compensate members of Her
Service HMOCS:
Majesty
3 Overseas
Sovereignty to the Chinese in 1997.
is
ollowing
he
==ansfer
Of
I recognise that It is desirable that sufficient numbers of adequate HMOCS should stay on in Hong King after 1997 to ensure continuity
public administration. But deciding whether a further aducement
form of necessary, and, if so, what Inducement would be materially effective are clearly difficult matters of judgement. However I understand your reasons for expatriate believing that a general compensation scheme for
that the officers should be drawn up and announced shortly, and scheme should be funded by HMG . I note that you expect it to cost between £10 and £20 million over the 10 years from 1997.
responsibility vote
As you
net
have acknowledgea, che
would
aturally fall to the FCO/ODA. I think you are right to suggest aid hat diversion of aid funds to a territory not qualifying for would
be defensible. But I do not think I can give any so far in advance of undertaking on the source of the funds requirement.
commit ourselves to a financial obligation our successors will naturally recognise the force of that commitment. But am sure that they will want to agree precisely how to meet it in PES terms in the light of the circumstances then prevailing.
I should be most grateful to be kept in touch with progress.
I am copying this letter to Chris Patten.
A..
JOHN MAJOR