TNAG-0592-FCO40-725-Inspection-of-Hong-Kong-and-Indian-Ocean-Department-1976 — Page 57

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Reference....

ADMINISTRATION IN CONFIDENCE

Mr O'Keeffe

INSPECTION:

SPRING 1976

Mr Laurence's minute of 2 February addressed to you and Mr Bentley, FED, refers.

1.

2.

I attach job descriptions prepared by all members of the Department down to and including Grade DS 10. The secretarial staff have filled in the questionnaires attached to, but not referred to in, Mr Laurence's minute and are keeping folders of work done this month. The three Home Civil Service Clerical Assistants in the Registry do not seem to be required to fill in anything.

3.

I thought that it was better to delay letting you have the job descriptions until the staff changes in the department had worked themselves out and the new members had had a chance to settle in. Inevitably, however, Mr Duffy's and Mrs Birch's job descriptions must be regarded as cockshys.

4.

we discussed the question of whether we should prepare written briefs "on any questions touching the Department" which could be brought to the attention of the Inspector (para. 2(c) of Mr Laurence's minute). Our conclusion was that in view of the differing opinions expressed elsewhere in the Office about the future of the Department, it would be better not to commit ourselves to anything in writing but to leave the matter open for discussion with the Inspector. I think that this conclusion is still valid. For what they are worth, I have included some observations of my own at the end of my job description form.

I attach a draft minute to Mr Laurence, forwarding the job descriptions etc.

5.

D.f. Millon

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D F Milton

22 March 1976

Hong Kong & Indian Ocean Dept.

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ADMINISTRATION IN CONFIDENCE