TNAG-1428-FCO40-1911-Future-of-the-Hong-Kong-public-service-1985 — Page 105

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

London SW1A 2AH

HKD

?

1

From The Minister of State

Ivan Lawrence Esq QC MP House of Commons

LONDON

SW1A OAA

Dear Mr. Lawrence,

17 January 1985

НСК EREIVEL

M. HOREIVEL

PA-

IN

25611

Thank you for your letter of 9 January to Richard Luce (who is away) on behalf of Mr J S Lambourn, President of the Association of Expatriate Civil Servants in Hong Kong (AECS), about the views of Association members on the draft agreement on the future of Hong Kong. Mr Lambourn has written in identical terms to several other MPS.

As you will recall, there was some discussion of this question during the Hong Kong debate on 5 December. As Richard told the House in his winding-up speech, the draft agreement on the future of Hong Kong provides satisfactorily for continuity of service by serving officers in the public service in Hong Kong on terms and conditions, including pay and pensions, no less favourable than before 1 July 1997. These provisions apply to both expatriate and local officers in Hong Kong.

The Hong Kong Government is well aware of the concerns expressed by the AECS and is in close touch with the Association. All of the points raised are currently under discussion with the AECS and the Chief Secretary, in a letter to the Hong Kong public service, has already stated that special arrangements will need to be made for expatriate officers whose careers are affected by the Sino-British agreement.

Constitutional change is still more than 12 years away in Hong Kong. The Government have, and will continue to have, closely in mind the interests of that particular group of civil servants as well as those of other civil servants.

I am returning Mr Lambourn's letter, a copy of which has been retained for our files.

Your

Yours Sincerely

Brianta pedon

Malcolm Rifkind

AUSTRY

Laken

он

(Approved by Mr Rifkind and signed in his absence by his Assistant Private Secretary)

Page 105Page 106