TNAG-0991-FCO40-1210-Policy-on-salaries-and-pensions-for-civil-service-in-Hong-Ko-1980 — Page 351

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MP'S LETTER: HONG KONG: MRS C V PENHEAROW

Ps/Mr. Blither.

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1.

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To give a substantive reply to Viscount Cranborne MP

(Dorset S - Conservative), who wrote to Mr Blaker on 25 July 1979

about a constituent's complaint against the Hong Kong Government.

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Mr Blaker acknowledged Viscount Cranborne's letter on 1 August 1979

and sent him a further interim reply on 18 October 1979.

Recommendation

2.

I recommend that Mr Blaker should write to Viscount Cranborne

on the lines of the attached draft.

Background

3.

Viscount Cranborne's constituent, Mrs C V Penhearow, is the

widow of a building services engineer who died in Hong Kong last

January, where he was employed by the Hong Kong Government. She

claims she lost over £300 because of the fall in the value of the

Hong Kong dollar between the time of her husband's death and the

time she received the outstanding salary and a tax refund due to

him from the Hong Kong Government.

4. In his letters of 7 and 27 September 1979, Mr So of the Hong

Kong Civil Service Branch explained why the delays in making the

payments were not excessive, and argued that the Hong Kong Government

could not therefore be held responsible for Mrs Penhearow's losses.

Whilst we accepted that the Hong Kong Government were certainly

under no formal obligation to compensate Mrs Penhearow, there did

seem to be a case for making an ex gratia award on compassionate

/grounds