MANAGEMENT IN CONFIDENCE
11. Despite the shortages, Hong Kong are still interested in placing some members of their Civil Service in UK Government Departments, in order to broaden their experience.
They recognise that this is not easy, mainly because the officers concerned probably have not got a great deal of practical experience to offer from the start. Another problem is that Chinese officers generally want a Chinese education for their children which is impracticable in the UK. Nevertheless Hong Kong would be grateful to know if vacancies occur which they could reasonably fill. They would also be prepared to consider attaching people as supernumeraries at their expense in special cases.
12. The concept of exchanges between the UK and Hong Kong Civil Services has received a general blessing from parliamentarians visiting Hong Kong and ministers are also interested. I would be grateful for POD's advice on how we can best stimulate this, both with the DS and Home Civil Service. Would an approach to the CSD be helpful?
Legal Branch Staffing
13. The Attorney-General drew my attention to recent attrition of Law Officers in his Department. The problem was partly one of inadequate salary and conditions of service and partly one of structure. There has been a considerable loss of experienced counsel and not enough of the more junior people have adequate experience to be promoted. The problem is described in the attachment to a letter of 27 February to the Chairman of the Committee on Salaries and Conditions of Service (attached). In essence, the Attorney-General is asking for an upgrading of the lowest rank, while at the same time allowing for the recruitment of experienced lawyers from Hong Kong and elsewhere. exercise with this aim will be carried out this summer, although
A recruiting the outcome of the Attorney-General's approach on salaries and conditions is not yet known.
12 March 1980
CC:
Mr Beamish, POD Mr Broadley, PPD
R D Clift
Hong Kong and General Department
MANAGEMENT IN CONFIDENCE
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