NOTE OF A CALL ON MR GOODLAD BY THE OVERSEAS SERVICE PENSIONER'S ASSOCIATION (OSPA) on 10 MAY 1993
Lord Grey (President, OSPA), Mr Pusinelli (Chairman, OSPA),
Mr Le Breton (Secretary, OSPA) and Mr Haye called on the
Minister on 10 May.
1.
2.
Mr Pusinelli said that OSPA were concerned about the
operation of the Supplementary Pension for Overseas Service
(SPOS) Regulations, rather than the compensation or pension safeguard arrangements which would be offered to HMOCS officers
in Hong Kong. He explained that the SPOS Regulations penalised
pensioners by adjusting payments when the Hong Kong dollar
appreciated against sterling, but not doing the same when the
reverse happened. HMG had admitted that the Regulations
operated unfairly and OSPA had been under the impression that they would be amended. However, it now seemed that this
proposal could not be taken forward until the package for HMOCS officers had been agreed. In view of the delay, he considered
that the three elements of the package should be split and each
considered on their merits. He also asked that OSPA be
consulted separately from the HMOCS Association on any
proposals which might affect their members.
3.
Mr Pusinelli said that a Hong Kong pensioner was considering seeking judicial review of the SPOS Regulations and had asked for OSPA's support. The ODA maintained that the operation of SPOS was legally correct and in accordance with the intention of the legislation. OSPA were very reluctant to
get involved in legal proceedings but a number of their members
were frustrated at the delay in finding a solution. Their
Annual General Meeting would be held on 27 May and there was a
note.vis.ospa.ADMIN
JEB