TNAG-0825-FCO40-1033-Terms-of-service-of-Diplomatic-Service-officers-serving-in-D-1979 — Page 14

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HKA 430/4

RECZY. A * PART 1. 51

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Mr Quantrill

Mr McLaren

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- 3 JUL 1979

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CONDITIONS OF SERVICE FOR DS PERSONNEL IN DEPENDENT TERRITORIES

Please see the attached copy of Mr Alexander's minute of 21 May to Mr Hunter.

1.

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2. This is a subject which has come up before. Mr Hunter's minute of 8 November 1978 to Mr McLaren and his reply of 29 November 1978 cover much of the same ground.

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3. I am certainly in favour of trying to better the lot of DS officers in Dependent Territories - although our efforts in this respect on Mr Palmer's behalf created trouble with other DS officers in Vila. I rather suspect that "the complete harmonisation of DS and DT terms and conditions of service" mentioned by Mr Alexander would be impossible to achieve. one case we have a well-worn system of HMG's presence in a particular country; in the other the staff are at the mercy of the Government of the Territory and even with UK topping-up the lot of an officer in a Dependent Territory will almost always be less comfortable than if he were in a DS post. But POD/PSD are now aware of the problem and I think that we should associate ourselves with their efforts to solve it. Allowances are a subject on which PSD are the experts but I think that HKGD probably know more about the complexity of conditions in Dependent Territories than do other departments.

4. I attach a draft.

I have not mentioned Mr Green's point about HKGD taking over from PSD the work of recovery of money from Dependent Territories since this applies specifically to Governors and I think Mr Alexander's concern is with DS staff generally. However I agree that it probably makes sense for us to be responsible for this job rather than PSD as at present.

31 May 1979

E. Gregory

E T Gregory (Mrs)

Hong Kong and General Department

I think Ar Alexander's case is based on a number of false premises, the first and major one being that there is general problem at all. The case be quotes is, as far as we know, an isolated one and not illustrative of a gruend state of affairs. As for as the evidence we have seen goes, the present situation by and large does ensue that DS'

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