TNAG-0205-FCO40-241-Pensions-policy-1970 — Page 114

CONFIDENTIAL

APPENDIX 4

SUDAN CIVIL SERVICE

The question of HMG's responsibility in regard to former members of the Sudan Civil Service was considered by an Inter-departmental Working Party set up in 1962 to study the general problem of increases in overseas pensions.

2. The background to the Sudan issue is that the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan was a dependency both of Britain and of Egypt from 1899 to 1955. British officers employed by the condominium government were appointed by the British Governor General of the Sudan, who was himself technically appointed by the Khedivial Decree on the recommendation of HM Government. The constitutional status of the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan was "sui generis" and the legal position was always in doubt whenever the question arose in Parliament. However, HMG did not hesitate from the very beginning of the condominium to act unilaterally on behalf of the Sudan in international affairs and accepted responsibility for the administration of the Sudan during the period of the condominium. Although the Sudan was never a member of the Commonwealth de jure and its officials were at no time in the service of the British Crow, their presence and service in the Sudan represented the British contribution to the condominium.

3. The Working Party considered that the role of the British Sudan Civil Servant was broadly comparable with that of the Colonial Service officer and that it would be incompatible to differentiate between pensioners of these services. They therefore recommended that overseas officers of the Sudan Civil Service should be included in the increase arrangements and this recommendation was accepted.

4. For pension supplement purposes the rules of eligibility are

"Officers who in the opinion of the Minister of Overseas Development entered the service of the Sudan Government in a pensionable capacity before 17 July 1954 and

i.

ii.

were British subjects at the time of the appointment, and

were not normally resident in either Egypt or the Sudan."

The number of pensioners certified at the present time is 937 and this includes some officers whose service was wholly in the Sudan Government Agency in London.

(17 July 1954 is the last day on which any person was accepted for pensionable service under the condominium government).

5. A note covering the Sudan pensions arrangements is attached.

6. Following representations by the Sudan Government British Pensioners Association in 1967 the Association was informed that the assurances to overseas pensioners set out in the Robertson/Carr undertaking may be regarded as applying to British Pensioners of the Sudan Government.

CONFIDENTIAL