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group of about 200 Hong Kong children under Section 3 (1) of
the BNA 1981. Dr Leong approached both Mr Lloyd (Home Office) and Lord Caithness about this late last year. Mr Lloyds showed himself to be sympathetic to Dr Leong's
arguments and said that he would let him have his decision
after receiving advice from his officials. In the event the
matter was overtaken by the elections. We have now learnt
that Home Office officials are advising their new Minister, Mr Wardle, to resist this proposal. Mr Goodlad has
therefore written to Mr Wardle to make it clear that we
believe that a negative response on this small but emotive issue would do disproportionate harm in Hong Kong, particularly on the eve of Mr Patten's arrival. This issue was also raised in the ICJ report (above).
HMOCS
11. The wide gulf between HMOCS officers' demands (for the
right to early retirement in 1997, full compensation and
safeguards for pensions) and our (per force) very limited compensation/incentive proposals - no early retirement, no promise of a pension safeguard and the bulk of any money
only for those who continue post 1997 continues to be a
source of problems between HMG, HKG and the Treasury. Our aim is to agree a package sellable both in Parliament and in
Hong Kong before Mr Patten takes up the Governorship early July. The Minister will be meeting representatives of the
HMOCS Association: a chance for them to make their case and
for the Minister to undertake to do all he can to reach an
early solution.
Domestic Concerns.
12.
People in Hong Kong are very concerned about the growth
of violent crime (the programme includes a visit to a recent
incident), smuggling, and on the economic side inflation,
and signs that spending on the airport may drain funding
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