XN000022-1986-04-23 — Page 38

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23, 1986

SIR DAVID COMMENTS ON NATIONALITY ISSUE

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THE GOVERNMENT WELCOMES THE NEWS FROM LONDON ABOUT THE NATIONALITY ISSUE ON THE TWO REQUESTS WITH REGARD TO THE EX- SERVICEMEN AND THE ENDORSEMENT TO BE PLACED IN THE NEW BRITISH NATIONAL (OVERSEAS) PASSPORTS, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR DAVID AKERS-JONĖS, SAID TONIGHT (WEDNESDAY).

SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER BRIEFING MEMBERS OF LEGCO

AD HOC GROUP TO STUDY THE DRAFT HONG KONG (BRITISH NATIONALITY) ORDER ON THE WRITTEN REPLY BY THE HOME SECRETARY, MR DOUGLAS HURD, IN PARLIAMENT, SIR DAVID SAID NATURALLY SOME PEOPLE PERHAPS WOULD BE DISAPPOINTED ON THE PART REGARDING THE ETHNIC MINORITIES.

+BUT NEVERTHELESS THERE IS A VERY POSITIVE ASSURANCE IN THE STATEMENT WITH REGARD TO THE ETHNIC MINORITIES, HE ADDED.

ASKED WHY THERE WAS AN URGENT MEETING WITH MEMBERS OF THE AD HOC GROUP TONIGHT, SIR. DAVID SAID A QUESTION WAS ASKED AND AN ANSWER WAS GIVEN IN LONDON THIS AFTERNOON (LONDON TIME), AND THE GOVERNMENT WISHED THE MEMBERS OF THE AD HOC GROUP WHO HAD WORKED SO HARD OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS AND MONTHS ON THIS QUESTION TO BE INFORMED OF THE ANSWER TO THE WRITTEN QUESTION IN PARLIAMENT AT THE SAME TIME THAT THE ANSWER WAS BEING GIVEN.

+SO HAVING WORKED SO HARD IT WAS ONLY RIGHT THAT THEY SHOULD BE THE FIRST PEOPLE TO BE INFORMED IN HONG KONG, SIR DAVID NOTED.

SALARY ADJUSTMENT FOR CIVIL SERVANTS APPROVED *****

CIVIL SERVANTS ALONG WITH THE IR COUNTERPARTS IN SUBVENTED ORGANISATIONS WHICH ENJOY FULL SUBSIDY BY THE GOVERNMENT WERE GRANTED A PAY RISE OF ABOUT SEVEN PER CENT FROM APRIL 1 THIS YEAR WITH THE APPROVAL OF FUNDS BY THE FINANCE COMMITTEE TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THE REVISED SALARIES FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE WOULD BE PAID AT THE END OF MAY.

HE POINTED OUT THAT THE ANNUAL PAY AWARD OFFER AT 6.96 PER CENT ACROSS THE BOARD HAD BEEN ACCEPTED BY THE THREE CIVIL SERVICE CENTRAL CONSULTATIVE COUNCILS EARLIER.

THE FINANCIAL