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9. Rather than just discussing the compensation element it
would be better for HMG to prepare revised proposals and put
them forward as a package including the right of early
retirement and sterling safeguard for pensions. There
should then be further consultations on these. They urged
HMG not to take a unilateral decision to impose a defective scheme. They put their trust in HMG to consider their points and to arrange further discussions. Such discussions should be structured as an open and frank exchange of views:
not just an exchange of prepared positions.
10. Timetable. They noted our apology for the delay in circulating our opening statement to individual officers and appreciated our willingness to consider comments received after the deadline. They noted our clarification that we
had not fixed the date for these consultations definitely
until we had considered the representations received. They
were grateful for our assurance that we had no wish to rush HMOCS members. They urged HMG to ask or instruct HKG to extend the deadline for officers opting for the new pensions scheme beyond 30 June. This was putting real pressure on HMOCS officers. There was a risk that by going to fast we
would end up with arrangements which were not fully thought through: it was better to get them right.
11. They were grateful for our clarification that we did not assert that HMOCS officers had any duty to continue to
serve in the SAR after 1 July 1997 and that this must be a matter of individual choice. Mr Birch initially took
exception to our oral statement expanding on this clarification and distinguishing between loyalty to the employer and allegiance to The Queen. He suggested that it dismissed the importance of the oath of allegiance sworn by RHKP officers. Mr Cartland later said that, having studied
the text we handed over of our statement, they still had a
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