TNAG-0694-FCO40-844-Inspection-of-Hong-Kong-Department-1977 — Page 100

ADMINISTRATION IN CONFIDENCE

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4.

(b)

(c)

(d)

not provide for a separate room for the Head of Department's PA. Mr Stewart attaches much importance to this point. He is aware that by no means all PA's have a room of their own but there must be few PA's who have to hare with three or four other secretaries as his PA has to do. K. 243 is an overcrowded and noisy room and you will recall that the Home Inspector recommended, in his report on HKD, that, when accommodation was re-allocated, separate rooms should, if possible, be provided for HKD's and FED's secretarial staff (Part I, paragraph 18 of Mr Morgan's report and my minute of 14 September 1976 to Mr Barratt refer). It is also relevant that the Head of Department's PA handles PUSD material and it is not satisfactory that she should have to do this in a room which is occupied by others not cleared for such material;

not allow for the integration of the Hong Kong section clerks which, ideally, we should like to bring about; and

produce overcrowding in K. 245, which is not really large enough for four officers.

I have discussed the matter further with Mr Stewart and

Mr Jasper Mr Levoir, and we should like to put forward the following revised proposals for your consideration:-

(i) K. 246 Mr Stewart (no change)

(ii) K. 247 (iii) K. 248

(iv) K. 251 (v) K. 243

(vi) K. 262

(vii) K. 270

(viii) K. 271

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Mr Milton (no change)

Head of Department's PA (instead of Mr Doch + A N Other)

Mrs Gregory (instead of Mr Duffy)

3 x S2/3s, being HKD's present $2, and

Miss Underwood and Miss Carlile, the two

G&GD S2/3s whom POD have agreed should move

to HKGD when it is established

Mr Hall (no change)

General Section (no change from present arrangement)

Staffing Section

(ix) K. 242 Two Hong Kong Section Clerks + PDTD Section Clerks These proposals would meet the requirements at (a) and (b) and (d) in paragraph 3 above. They would not meet the need for the integration of the Hong Kong Section Clerks, but we would have to accept this draw- back. We have considered whether the Hong Kong Section Clerks could share K. K. 271 with the Staffing Section. The room ought to be large enough for this purpose but we consider that such an arrangement would be too disruptive of the work of the Staffing Section. The net effect of the proposals I have put forward as compared to yours, is that we would give up K. 253 in return for K. 271. That may seem an unequal arrangement but I think it should be borne in mind that there will also be savings on the accommodation currently occupied by the Staffing Section. I therfore hope you will agree that our proposals are reasonable and will agree to implement them when the time comes.

17 February 1977

DF Milton

Hong Kong Departmant K 248 233 4381

ADMINISTRATION IN CONFIDENCE