TNAG-0411-FCO40-457-Allegations-of-bribery-and-corruption-in-the-Hong-Kong-polic-1973 — Page 94

EBCR 219/64

355

22 November 1973

Dear Sir,

His Excellency the Governor has asked me to reply to your letter to him dated 11 November 1973 on the subject of ER 303 and the recommendations of Sir Alastair Blair-Kerr.

Your views on the procedure which should be followed with regard to assessing the merits of an officer on probation have been read with interest. However, it is considered that the present procedure as laid down in Establishment Regulations is perfectly adequate and fair to all concerned.

For your information ERs provide, inter alia, that if at any time during his probationary period an officer exhibits tendencies which indicate that he might be unsuitable for confirmation, he should be warned at once, a record being made of such warning, and given such assistance as may be possible to correct his faults (ER 192(2)). They also provide for confidential reports to be made every six months on all officers on probation. Any adverse comments must be brought to the officer's notice and a record made that this has been done (ER 196 and ER 231(4)). Then- ever it is intended to extend an officer's probationary period, he must be informed of this intention and given an opportunity to make representations (ER 198(5)). The Public Services Commission is, of course, responsible for advising the Governor whether officers on probation should be confirmed to the pensionable establishment, (except for officers who are excluded from the purview of the Fublic Services Commission) and before any recommendations for either the extension of an officer's period of probation or the termination of his services are put to the Public Services Commission, the officer must be given adequate opportunity to submit his representations (ER 199(4) and (5)). ER 303(2) itself provides that before recommending the termination of in appointment on probation, the Department must inform the officer of the intention and reasons in writing and invite the officer to submit any representations which he may wish to make.

No final decision has been reached on Sir Alastair Blair- Kerr's recommendation concerning ER 303. However, the three min Staff Associations and the Police Staff Associations are being consulted on all the recommendations made by Sir Alastair Blair-Kerr concerning Colonial Regulations and Establishment Regulations and their views will be taken into consideration when deciding whit action is to be taken.

Yours faithfully,

GRA Hammond

(J.C.. Hammond)

for Secretary for the Civil Service

A. Ellis, Esq

20 Bishops Close

Ham Common

Richmond

Engl

cc: S of S with a cory of letter from Mr Ellis