TNAG-0592-FCO40-725-Inspection-of-Hong-Kong-and-Indian-Ocean-Department-1976 — Page 33

ADMINISTRATION IN CONFIDENCE

Reference......

3

3.

Dependent Territories General Department

Atlantic & Indian Ocean Department

West Indian Department

Pacific Dependent Territories Department

now GGD

disbanded

now WIAD

still PDTD

In a minute to the Head of GGD on 16 December 1975 Mr Morgan said:

"... one of the biggest draw-backs to the Joint system being that so little is known about it, and specifically mentions some accretions (to the Joint department system) just happened without anyone having a very clear idea of why they were happening. Thus, Hong Kong Department was included in the Joint department system following a minute from the FCO to the ODM in 1972. Thereafter, the AUS supervising Hong Kong seems to have been included in the ODM list ... I doubt if the AUS responsible for Hong Kong should feature in the ODM list at all. Mr Male tells me that he does receive the occasional circular from the ODM but goes to meetings there only in his FCO capacity.""

4.

At present the following departments are Joint: GGD;

WIAD; PDTD

and HKD. Non-Joint departments handling Dependent Territories affairs, are Latin American Department (Falklands) and Caribbean (Bermuda). When GGD is disbanded it is proposed that Southern European Department (non-Joint) will handle both external and internal affairs of Gibraltar.

5. The Inspector had suggested that the rump of GGD might join Commonwealth Co-ordination Department. One argument against this was that CCD will be extended with work in connection with the Silver Jubilee year in 1977 and therefore, as a compromise, the rump will first be attached to HKD pending further consideration next year of the rump's future. If the rump had joined CCD would CCD have become Joint to assist the work of the GGD rump?

6. I attach copies of the Inspector's report on GGD and on balance I consider that the advantage would lie in the Department which the General Section joins to be Joint, particularly since the section is the repository of the Joint AUS's papers on ODM affairs, and the section acts as a channel for action required by the AUS with Heads of DT Departments, Heads of Caribbean Dept and LAD and ODM on matters arising from these papers.

(When the rump of GGD joins HKD the department will then have two AUS and two Ministers.)

7. The Head of the Administrative, Legal and Judicial Staffing Unit does not consider that this working relationship with ODM or FCO departments would suffer if his section was not in a Joint department

me Milton (HKD)

But other Fco. denik. have deoar aminer.ite

quer, bulk

1.

J. Jaster

GGD. K2do.

6./8/16

Reference paragraph 7 of Mr Milton's minute of 30 July, HKD has

to remain a joint department, even after relinquishing the Seychelles and Indian Ocean responsibilities, because they are still responsible for Aid expenditure. Only joint departments have direct access to ODM who have a Vote responsibility.

2.

It is for this reason that ODM only agreed to Aid work remaining in HKD on the basis that it would continue to be part of the Dependent Territories Division. When Gibraltar responsibilities are transferred

ицин

with COM? Dlm 25/10

/to...