TNAG-1280-FCO40-1631-Public-Service-in-Hong-Kong-devolution-of-Secretary-of-State-1983 — Page 29

522

THE PUBLIC SERVICE

It was explained that, by arrangement with the overseas govern- ment, an appointment could still be made to a purely local service— an offer of appointment on that basis could of course be declined; and that the interests of officers not included in the list would not be overlooked when agreements with governments were negotiated.

Changes in 1956

A further development, potentially more important, was announced two years later." The essence of the new, and revolu- tionary, policy was that, in an endeavour to secure for self-governing territories the expatriate staff they needed, there were to be two kinds of lists of persons who would be employed by the United Kingdom Government and seconded for service with the overseas governments.

First, there was to be a list (known as the "Central Pool") of potential recruits-persons ready to accept service of that kind. They would be taken into United Kingdom employment only if there was a substantial demand and regular employment for a number of years could be foreseen. In fact, it has not been possible to do this, because the increasing "localisation" of the overseas public services and the change to short-term contract employment for expatriate officers has meant that regular employment cannot be offered.®2

Secondly, for a territory where, owing to acute staffing difficulties, it was necessary to encourage officers to remain for a time rather than retire forthwith with compensation, there would be a Special List to which serving officers could elect to transfer. Their conditions of service would be prescribed by the United Kingdom after consultation with the employing government and their pension and compensation on retirement would be paid by the United Kingdom and recovered from that Government. An officer on the Special List would accept an obligation to serve Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom up to the age of fifty (later extended to fifty-five in agree- ments made with Governments in Nigeria) and he would be seconded to the overseas government. If he could not be found suitable employment, he could be kept on full pay for a period not exceeding five years and then given his pension and any compensation for which he would have been eligible if he had remained in his former service and not transferred to the Special List. The Special List (subsequently known as "Special List A") was designed primarily for Nigeria. As it attracted very few officers there, it has not been used elsewhere, and in Nigeria it was in effect superseded in 1958 by the establishment of a Special List B, the main effect of which was that officers in

01 Cmd. 9768.

03

02 See Cmnd. 1193, para. 6 and Appendix B; Cmnd. 1740, pp. 5–9. es Cmnd. 497.

PU

the service twelve mon receive inter entitlement a The United to the cost.

Also in 1 limited in 19 for whose r extended to

or for a pos the Colonial

Changes afte

In 1960 Government previous arr

to continue proposal co United King possible to had recently governing; a no doubt co

The United I prepared to sufficiently a they serve re to enter into the United half, of spe the additiona officers-and to officers p reasons) exto that the init governments renewal woul at the end of

At the sa certain broad

04 Cf. Regulatio No. 520, 3rd 65 Cmnd. 1193.