TNAG-0592-FCO40-725-Inspection-of-Hong-Kong-and-Indian-Ocean-Department-1976 — Page 19

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Miss Croft [Library & Records Dept P 108]

HONG KONG DEPARTMENT:

R: 5.

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INTEGRATION OF THE 'REGISTRY

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20X(23)

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1. Mr Morgan's report on his inspection of what was then HKIOD recommended that the Registrar's Branch should review the registry establishment in three months' time with a view to seeing whether Mr Bailey could become responsible for all papers on Hong Kong and, if it were decided that this was possible, that he should be integrated with the two desk officers in room K 245, the second remaining DS 10 (or equivalent) post in the registry being cut in the process (Part II, recommendations Nos 9 and 10 and paragraphs 23-27 in Mr Morgan's report refer). The parallel inspection of the registry carried out by the Registrar's Branch also concluded that it would be possible to integrate the registry.

2. It is now three months since responsibility for work on Seychelles and the British Indian Ocean Territory was transferred to EAD and the first of the DS 10 posts in the registry cut. Experience during this period has confirmed the department in its view that there 1 is a case for the integration of Mr Bailey with the desk officers and we should like to see whether this would be a workable arrangement. I have discussed with Miss Foulger, the Head of the registry, and she agrees. We should, however, need to make this change, subject to the following conditions:-

a.

that Miss Foulger should remain the Head of HKD's registry while continuing to sit in K 271. We should like her, for example, to continue to exercise the function of Departmental Machinery Officer (a task with which she was formally charged following another of Mr Morgan's recommendations) and to be available for consultation on any general registry problems which it would be reasonable to impose on Mr Bailey. I understand that Miss Foulger will remain the Head of SWPD registry when it is integrated;

b. that there should be a "long-stop" for Mr Bailey in K 271 who could help out if the work load were to undergo a sudden increase;

C. that you would be ready to provide a stand-in for Mr Bailey when he is on leave, sick, etc.

The abolition of the post of Paper Keeper in the joint HKD/FED/SWPD registry, though the occupant of the post worked in practice for FED only, has reinforced the need for some underpinning of Mr Bailey on the lines I have suggested. We shall also need to keep the integration of Mr Bailey under review, particularly if there were to be a noticeable and sustained increase in registry work. The arrangement might also need to be looked at again if and when, in accordance with a further recommendation of Mr Morgan's, the General Section of G&GD is merged with HKD, although so far I can see at present the work of the two halves of what would become Hong Kong and General Department could probably be serviced by separate registry units.

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