TNAG-0576-FCO40-709-Visits-of-UK-officials-to-Hong-Kong-1977 — Page 131

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for me

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To: Heads of certain FCO departments

By and Nivanber

to couridar

in alcpred-g

FAMILIARISATION VISITS

Aver

mombour

depr.

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Doli

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Cumulate

(20-ree @ fordu. O'Keeffer reply.

26

1. In his minute of 21 May (not to all) to Heads of geographical departments, my predecessor Mr Whitehead asked for information about the number of Assistants and desk officers who had visited none of the countries with which they dealt.

2. The information contained in the replies to that minute was used as the basis for a submission to the Permanent Under- Secretary, who has agreed that certain additional money which has become available for short duty visits should be used for a modest increase in the number of familiarisation visits by officers working in the FCO, particularly at Assistant and desk officer level.

3. This means that I can invite applications for familiarisation visits with a slightly greater prospect than hitherto of being Var able to agree to them. I shall be prepared to consider appli- cations from all geographical departments, though if there is a moonwhite large number of applications in the near future, it may be necessary

to give priority to those departments who are particularly short been to the of desk officers with experience of the territories they deal with.

Applications should be signed by the Head of Department and in addition to the normal information required for short duty travel applications - purpose of visit, length of stay etc each appli- cation should include specific confirmation

No further action

Too far fad.

отега

зби

4.

(1) that the officer has not visited the territory

concerned (if he has visited it fleetingly, e.g. in transit, or many years ago there may be some room for discretion);

(ii) that he (or she) is unlikely to have any other

opportunity to visit the territory in the normal course of official business;

(iii) that the head of department concerned knows of no

present plans to move the officer from his desk for at least one year from the date of his return from the proposed visit.

Mr Whitehead's minute under reference was not sent to Iloads of functional departments. I am sending copies of this minute to Heads of certain functional departments, because it occurs to me that there may occasionally be a case for an officer in one of these departments to pay a familiarisation visit e.g. to an international organisation with which he deals. If so, the Iload of department concerned is welcome to apply, bearing in ind however that desk officers should wherever possible be given opportunities for familiarisation by including them in delegations to international meetings. In the case of functional departments we shall need to pay particular attention to the criterion at para 3(ii) above.

Histan Hunth.

A J Hunter

Personnel Services Department

./.

9 July 1976

"

}