TNAG-0534-FCO40-629-UK-aid-to-Hong-Kong-Polytechnic-and-technical-institutions-1975 — Page 12

I A C Kinnear Esq

Senior British Trade Commissioner British Trade Commission Hong Kong

9/1

HKK 9/3

6 August 1975

1.

Thank you for your letter of 29 July.

LAST REF

69

NEAI

REF.

54

the

2. There is little danger of the grants being reduced; problem facing us is getting both through the Ministry of Overseas Development's Projects Committee. We presented a paper seeking the Projects Committee's approval to the £0.5 million for the Polytechnic in late 1973; in the event, however, it was not considered by the Committee since it was considered some strengthening was needed. A second paper was presented earlier this year, this again did not reach the Projects Committee. Our difficulty is that we cannot justify either project on purely aid grounds, since they do not fit into the ODM's current thinking on aid policy and since Hong Kong is not considered to be aid-worthy. However, we are now changing tack, placing more emphasis on honouring a ministerial commitment and less on justifying the projects on aid grounds, because it is generally agreed that the latter is not possible.

3. I hope the above, which is the situation in a nutshell, answers your query.

E V Wade-Brown

Hong Kong & Indian Ocean Department

Pl 74

VW-B.

6/vm 175.