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suggest in your despatch, that I do not consider that a case has been made out for departing from the approved method of calculation, which was used in the assessment of their initial salary, and accepted by them on appointment.
4. With regard to the question of the preservation of the Home pension rights of the personnel concerned, further enquiries are being made of the Home Office as to whether it will be possible for them to be regarded as having been seconded from their Home Police Force for service in Hong Kong, with the right to be re-instated at the appropriate point in their original salary scale and without loss of seniority or promotion by reason of their secondment. There are likely to be difficulties. in obtaining agreement to this proposal, and the enquiries will no doubt be protracted, since not only the Home Office, but a number of individual local authorities, is concerned. I have no objection to the petitioners being informed of the action being taken in this matter. I will communicate with you further on this matter as soon as I am in a position to do so.
I have the honour, to be
Sir,
Your most obedient
humble servant,
(sgd) D.R. Rees-Williams.
(For Secretary of State).