TNAG-0822-FCO40-1029-Policy-on-salaries-for-civil-servants-in-Hong-Kong-1978 — Page 420

GR 525

PRIORITY

HER/CAT A

FM HONG KONG 092715Z

RESTRICTED

RESTRICTED

HKK 430/1

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51

09 JUN 1978

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

по

PA

REGISTRY Action Tren

द

60

JUNE 78.

TO PRIORITY HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE LONDON TELNO.64.

FOR SWAN FROM MACLEOD.

▸

1. WE ARE HAVING A BASIC RETHINK OF THE WAY IN WHICH WE SET

SALARY SCALES, IN PARTICULAR THE RELATIVE WEIGHT TO BE GIVEN TO COMPARISONS WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR AS AGAINST INTERNAL RELATIVITIES: THE CRITERIA ON WHICH ADJUSTMENTS TO INTERNAL RELATIVITIES MIGHT BE BASED: AND THE PROBLEM OF MAKING THE REASONING BEHIND PAY SCALE DECISIONS SUFFICIENTLY RATIONAL AND EXPLICIT TO FORM A BASIS FOR SUBSEQUENT ARBITRATION IF

NECESSARY.

2. I WOULD BE MOST GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD ARRANGE FOR ME TO SEE

THE RELEVANT STAFF IN THE CIVIL SERVICE DEPARTMENT PAY GROUP TO PICK THEIR BRAINS ON WHAT THEY DO IN U.K IN THIS SPHERE. I HAVE LOOKED AT THE CIVIL SERVICE YEAR BOOK, AND AFTER DISCUSSING

WITH KEITH BROADBRIDGE AND HUGH ARDLEY, BOTH OF WHOM HAVE WORKED IN THE DEPARTMENT AND WHO HAVE KEPT IN TOUCH WITH IT, I AM FAIRLY SURE THAT THE PEOPLE I SHOULD SEE ARE THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY IN CHARGE OF PAY 1 DIVISION (G.T. MORGAN) AND THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY IN CHARGE OF PAY 2 DIVISION (W.E. WIGHTMAN). THEY ARE NO DOUBT BUSY MEN, AND IT IS THE HOLIDAY SEASON IN U.K., BUT A COUPLE OF HOURS OR SO WITH EACH OF THEM WOULD BE SUFFICIENT I THINK,

覆

3. I PROPOSE, IF YOU CAN FIX IT, TO FIT THESE DUTY VISITS IN BEFORE I START MY LEAVE, WHICH MEANS THAT I WOULD ARRIVE IN LONDON 24TH JUNE WITH A VIEW TO SEEING ONE OF THEM IN THE MORNING OF MONDAY 26TH AND THE OTHER IN THE AFTERNOON, WITH TUESDAY 27TH AS THE FALL-BACK IF ONE OR BOTH ARE BOOKED UP ON MONDAY. ON WHATEVER DAY I WAS NOT GOING TO C.S.D., I WOULD PROPOSE (AGAIN IF YOU CAN FIX IT) TO PAY A COURTESY CALL ON JIM HALL AT THE F.C.O., LEAVING IT TO HIS DISCRETION WHETHER HE THINKS IT WOULD BE USEFUL TO MEET ANYONE ELSE THERE OR NOT, AND TO VISIT YOU AND WHOEVER ELSE IS IN LONDON OFFICE AT THE

TIME. C.S.D IS THE PRIORITY BECAUSE I WANT TO GET ANY ANSWERS I GET BACK TO HONG KONG AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE.

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14. I AM

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