TNAG-0734-FCO40-938-Reports-of-Standing-Committee-on-the-Planning-Progress-of-Ho-1978 — Page 4

CONFIDENTIAL

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HALIVED IN REGISTRY NO. ST

MINUTES OF THE SEVENTH MEETING OF THE STANDING COFFEE ON HONG KONG ON FRIDAY, 15 DECEMBER 1978 AT 30 PMCOR

Those present:

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Mr H AH Cortazzi Mr D F Murray Mr RJT McLaren

Mr H R G Hurst Mr T S Heppell Mr S Broadbent Mr G Haley

Mr W E Quantrill Mr N Ling

Miss R Wills

-Chairman

INY

PA

Actor 1.

-Head, Hong Kong and General Department,

FCO

-Overseas Labour Adviser, FCO

-DHSS (present for Item 1 only) -Economists Department, FCO -Economists Department, FCO

-Hong Kong and General Department, -Hong Kong and General Department, FCO -Hong Kong and General Department, FCO

FCO

ITEM 1: SOCIAL WELFARE (including the Sickness, Injury and

Death Benefit Scheme)

1. After thanking Mr Heppell for attending the meeting, Mr Cortazzi drew attention to the importance attached by Ministers to the introduction of a contributory and compulsory social insurance scheme. At the same time it was accepted that a first priority was to get a workable scheme introduced as speedily as possible. It was also agreed that the scheme should be sufficiently flexible to permit the addition of other benefits, notably unemployment, and that it should be partially funded by a Government contribution.

2. Mr Heppell had produced a note commenting on some of the difficulties over the scheme set out in the Governor's letter of 1 November. It was agreed that this note, together with other points raised by Mr Hurst, should be sent to the Governor for his comments. In the meantime, Mr Heppell said that he would be willing to try to arrange for a DHSS officer to go to Hong Kong if it was thought that this would be useful.

ITEM 2: MATTERS ARISING FROM THE LAST MEETING (a) Secondments between Hong Kong and Whitehall

3. It was noted that Mr Patrick Williamson would take up a two year post as Head of Hong Kong Section on secondment from the Hong Kong Government in January. The meeting agreed that further secondments to other departments in Whitehall could prove useful. It was agreed that, rather than try to set up a general scheme in the abstract, we should ask the Hong Kong Government whether there were particular individuals whom they would like us to try and place in such Departments as the DHSS or the Treasury. thought that the secondments should be of people at about Deputy Director level. There should also be more outward secondments to achieve some kind of balance.

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CONFIDENTIAL

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