TNAG-0493-FCO40-558-Establishment-of-Anti-Corruption-Commission-in-Hong-Kong-1974 — Page 108

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Our reference: POL/72 1115/40/4 Your reference KKK 14/32

A C Stuart Esq

Hong Kong and Indian Ocean Department

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

LONDON

SW1

18 FEB1974

LAST

WE

60) Pree

Dear Stuart

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16

REF.

Niss

Draft submitted

7 we need to clear the indemnity paint with the experts

31 January

then to telgraph, MK, and 3) wite to love this

that wor

I am replying to your letter of 31 December to Baker about

new Anti-Corruption Commission in Hong Kong.

4/2

Lesist

We have been in touch with the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, and

he has agreed to release Commander R Anning for a 3 week advisory visit. Commander Anning took part in the planning of the Metropolitan Police Complaints Investigation Branch, and has been head of the Branch since its inception some 2 years ago. The Commissioner has suggested, however, and we agree, that it would be of benefit to all concerned for Commander Anning to be accompanied by another senior Metropolitan Police Officer with specialist investigative experience. We assume that all travel and accommodation costs will be met by the Government of Hong Kong, and the Commissioner understood in discussions with the Governor during the latter's recent visit that the cost of a visit by 2 officers was likely in the circumstances to be regarded as relatively unimportant. If this proposal is acceptable, I suggest that you get in touch with the Commissioner direct to arrange details.

There is however one administrative matter which needs to be settled. On the advice of our pensions experts and the Metropolitan Police Solicitor, it has become the practice whenever Metropolitan Police officers undertake overseas assignments of this nature to obtain from the sponsoring Department an indemnity in respect of claims arising from personal injury etc, and in particular to meet the needs of the police pensions scheme. Under this scheme, a police officer or his dependants qualify for a special pension award following injury on duty, and since Commander Anning and his colleague cannot be said to be on Metropolitan Police business whilst in Hong Kong, they or their dependants would only qualify for an ordinary service pension in the event of any accidents. I enclose a note of the form of indemnity which the Metropolitan Police would require on this occasion.

It may be helpful to mention that indemnities on these lines have been provided by the Department of Trade and Industry, and fairly recently by the Western European Department of F & CO in connection with the visit of two Metropolitan officers to Holland. So I do not imagine that this will cause you any difficulty.

Jumpminey

TC PLATT