TNAG-0608-FCO40-756-Planning-paper-on-progress-made-on-social-security-in-Hong-K-1977 — Page 108

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see as lacunae and discrepancies, we should also take account of the local difficulties experienced by the Governor in persuading his Executive Committee of the desirability and acceptability of these proposals.

Recommendation

6. I recommend that we bring these points to the Governor's attention and I submit a self-explanatory draft telegram. and the Senior Economic Adviser concur.

9 August 1977

The OLA

.B. Fleet.

JA B Stewart

Hong Kong & General Dept

cc:

Mr Cortazzi o.r.

Mr Hurst

OLA

Mr Smith SEA)

and

1. These seem to be good proposals, as far as they go, given that they were drafted by an officer seconded from the Department of Health & Social Security, my inclination would be to accept their broad lines and not to suggest amendments. Nevertheless, the OLA and Senior Economic Adviser, have rightly drawn attention to the lacunae and, as Mr Stewart's submission makes clear, there is still a long way to go to get the full social security programme imple- mented.

2. The Department was inclined to recommend a rather dampening message from Lord Goronwy-Roberts. Tactically I think this would be wrong. I hope, therefore, that Lord Goronwy-Roberts would agree to a message welcoming the proposals, as far as they go, but then reminding the Governor of what still has to be done on the social security programme, asking for his further thoughts, and putting in a tactful reminder that we do not want there to be any slippage from the overall aim of a full social security system by the end

I think it would of 1980. My own draft telegram is on these lines.

appropriate for Mr Stewart to put the Department's queries to Hong Kong at a lower level.

then

be

10 August 1977

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Murray