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arrangements (Mr Heppell has previously served on secondment in Hong Kong). The DHSS, with our support, have agreed to release Mr Heppell and he will go to Hong Kong in April
for six months. He will be seeing the OLA and the
department on 16 March. We shall wish to offer comments
on the terms of reference that the Hong Kong Government have drawn up for the review of social welfare arrangements.
Action is Outstanding on the following:
(i) Labour Advisory Board Papers (para 2(b) of the Minutes of
the Standing Committee,
The Commissioner for Labour has declined to make
available the memoranda, agenda and minutes of the LAB's meetings, as requested by the OLA at the Standing Committee's last meeting, on the grounds that the usefulness of the Board's work would be impaired if it were known that its papers were being seen in the FCO. I am not impressed by this argument and, with the OLA's agreement, intend to
discuss the matter with the Commissioner for Labour during
my next visit to Hong Kong.
(ii) Two-way Secondment Project (para 1(d) of the Minutes of
the Standing Committee.
(iii)
This subject is more conveniently dealt with under item (a) of the agenda.
Secondary Education (para 3(b) of the Minutes of the Standing Committee
This item is more conveniently dealt with under item (e) of the agenda.
Most of the matters arising from Lord Goronwy-Roberts' meeting with the Governor in December have been covered by what I have said
above or will be dealt with under other items on the agenda. There is one exception, which concerns the case of Mr Madren (Item 3, para 3 of the record of Lord Goronwy-Roberts' meeting).
The Governor,
in reply to a letter from Mr Galsworthy, defended his officials' action in terminating Mr Madren's contract. Lord Goronwy-Roberts
has written to Mr Arthur Latham, Mr Madren's MP, to say that, while he
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