TNAG-0697-FCO40-847-Pension-scheme-for-governors-1978 — Page 41

CODE 18.77

Mr C J Hall

LAGT

25

Hong Kong and General Department FCO

2D231/217/01/31

HKA 2.33/1

Reference

RECEIVED

7 NO. 51

14 AUG 1978

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

PA

GOVERNORS PENSIONS 'N

يطار

STRY

Action Taken

PX enquiry

Please refer to your minute of 4 July about ur Stratton on Widows' benefits. Our papers have been in the Legal Advisers' department for some time, hence the delay in replying for which I apologise.

There are historical reasons for the omission of widows' pensions under the GPA.

1. At one time general policy was for officers to progress through Colonial Service to Governorships. In such cases continuing widows'

was provided for under the terms of previous territory WOPS, which the Governor could remain in following his transfer.

2. Because of this, little previous pressure; although this would be better known by the FCO, who are responsible for terms and conditions of appointment and who could have raised this issue if they considered it necessary at the time the new GPS was under discussion.

See E/1 on OSA 77/81/03 attached.

N.B. Australian Governors are no longer within coverage of the GPS.

3. Comments on your minute by paragraphs as you have numbered them are:

para 3

para 4 (1)

Allocation

-

yes.

Gratuity - see paragraph 3.17 of the draft of the new GPS (copy attached).

Yes - DS and HCS on secondment can continue to contribute to PSCPS Widows Scheme. Those who transfer cannot, but if ultimately their service is aggregated and paid under PSCPS period of Governor's service would be covered by deduction of contributions from lump sum.

para 5

(2)

HMOCS officers can continue to contribute to an overseas scheme if not over age.

(3)

(4)

Ex-HMOCS officers similarly can continue to contribute to previous overseas widows scheme up to age limit.

Ex-HMOCS officers, ?MOD officers, and politicians would be appointed on contract and would themselves not be pensionable for this period. Any contract gratuity payable would reflec non-pensionability of service. In this respect he is in

the same position as all other contract officers.

Sir R Sharples was killed on duty and his widow received an ex-gratia award by analogy with the provision of Section 11 - Injury Benefits under PCSPS. This was done

on the basis of an agreement that where a Colonial Governor is killed or injured on duty any benefits paid by the Colonial Government concerned may be topped-up extra- statutorily by HMG to produce aggregate benefits equivalent to those which would have been payable under the Injury Benefits Scheme to a civil servant or equivalent rank. Similar cases would therefore be dealt with on this basis.

para 6