September 1992
Rt Hon Christopher Patten Governor of Hong Kong Government House HONG KONG
HMOCS: POSTS IN OTHER DEPENDENT TERRITORIES
1.
Thank you for your letter of 20 August.
2. I am grateful for the caution that the HMOCS Association is likely to press the case that HMOCS members should have priority consideration for posts in other DTs. We doubt that there is a strong case for this either based on the two White Papers or on historical precedent. But we appreciate their strong views on the subject and have taken steps to ensure they are treated in as fair and reasonable way as we can.
3. I have already set out that applications from HMOCs members for relevant jobs in DTs will be considered on their merits and on an equal basis along side DS applications. Such appointments would be on contract terms.
4.
Subject to your views (on any local reactions), we would also be happy to throw open to HMOCS officers the opportunity to apply for inward transfer to the DS- on pensionable terms. A scheme exists for this and is open to Home Civil Servants -both in the FCO and in other Government departments. During September and October we examine applications received over a 12 month period and invite the most promising candidates to a board interview. We have a ceiling of 2 places per year at each of grades DS9 to DS5 (in Administrative Officers terms, roughly equivalent to AO -DS8- up to AOSG'C') which we are under no obligation to fill if standards are not high enough.
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