HONG KONG
CONFIDENTIAL
APPENDIX 8
While Hong Kong itself and Kowloon were ceded to Britain in 1842 and 1860 respectively the New Territories are only held on lease, for 99 years, under the Convention of Peking of 1898. The prospect of the ending of the New Territories lease in 1997 inevitably raises the question of the future of the Colony after that date.
2. The current cost of Hong Kong public service pensions (including widows and orphans pensions) is of the order of £3,768,000 per annum see detailed statement attached.
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3. The Hong Kong public service is somewhat unusual in that it includes staff for activities which in other territories might be undertaken by local authorities. Apart from the Housing Authority which has a certain measure of autonomy, there are no financially independent subordinate bodies similar to local government authorities in the UK and other Commonwealth territories.
4.
Nevertheless there are a number of bodies aided or subsidised from Hong Kong revenue eg the universities, Trade Development Council, Productivity Council. Having regard to the political pressure put on HMG in the 1940's to assist British pensioners of the Shanghai and other Chinese Municipal authorities whose pensions were not being paid, which has resulted in continuing ex-gratia payments to these pensioners from British Funds, it may perhaps be advisable when considering the future position of Hong Kong public service pensioners to have regard also to the future position of any quasi-government pensioners.
CONFIDENTIAL
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