TNAG-0334-FCO40-370-Visits-of-Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-and-Commonwealth-Af-1972 — Page 58

CONFIDENTIAL

in Hong Kong alone is not such a recruitment attraction as it used

to be. Furthermore even long established Hong Kong expatriate

Civil Servants might welcome opportunities for service elsewhere.

8. The provision of seconded officers from the Home Civil Service

and the Diplomatic Service in greater numbers than at present will

be an important element in future expatriate staffing. There are

limits to the extent to which we can draw on the Diplomatic Service

in particular. But the first step is to get a clearer idea of

Hong Kong's estimated needs. An Interdepartmental Working Party

in Whitehall is studying this and other aspects of the general

staffing problem.

THE ROYAL HONG KONG POLICE FORCE

9. The Royal Hong Kong Police Force's strength is, in round

figures, about 14,000 with some 600 expatriates. A considerable

percentage of the senior posts in the Force are filled for security

and other reasons by overseas officers who are recruited initially by

the Crown Agents into the rank of Inspector with prospects of promotion to

the gazetted rank. The proportion of expatriate Inspectors is

maintained at 45-50%. The rapid rise in salaries and allowances

of the constable in the police force in the UK has caused serious

recruitment difficulties to Hong Kong. Any upward revision of the

salary scale for Inspectors in Hong Kong to keep in line with the

UK rates of pay would be costly, would distort the salary structure

and give local Inspectors an unwarranted increase in pay. There

is strong opposition to the re-introduction of expatriate pay in addition to basic salary in Hong Kong but any "topping up" payable

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CONFIDENTIAL