TNAG-1548-FCO40-2112-Future-of-the-Hong-Kong-public-service-1986 — Page 118

MR GT MORGAN

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G H Wollen

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Date: 31 January 1986

cc Mr Trevelyan Mr Bastin

Mr K Morris

(Personnel Policy Dept,

FCO)

28

Mr Galsworthy (HK Dept, FCO)

SECONDMENTS FROM THE HONG KONG ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICE

You will wish to be aware that Mr K L Shipley of the Hong Kong Administrative Service came to see Mr Bastin and myself on 28 January to discuss the possibility of some Whitehall departments taking up to 3 Principal or Senior Principal level local (ie ethnic Chinese) Administrative Officers a year, in their mid-30's, on one to two year secondments over the next 5-7 years. The purpose would be to give them broad administrative experience within a political environment before they succeed expatriates in the more senior posts.

We gave our usual warning about our inability to guarantee success, whilst accepting that the Hong Kong government's willingness to bear the "total cost" of the exercise (which we explored in some depth) would count greatly in their favour. We felt that DOE, Transport, the Home Office, and Trade and Industry would be the most appropriate departments for us to approach. From my contacts with the Hong Kong government while at CSSB I can say that the individuals would be extremely able graduates. Language would of course be no problem (though we would need to check their nationality status in relation to the "alien" problem).

We agreed that Mr Shipley should send us the names and details of 6 potential secondees for us to pass on to likely departments. He would take up the possibility of further secondments to the FCO (where one is already placed) direct with PPD.

Mr Shipley raised one other matter, of which Mr Trevelyan in particular may wish to have warning. A corollary of ethnic Chinese taking over the senior posts is, of course, that the expatriates they replace will need to look for helped to find, alternative employment in 2-3 years' time. There are likely to be up to 60 such, often high quality, people in their mid-30's, over the next 10 years. Mr Shipley had been instructed to broach the possibility of the UK Civil Service taking very limited numbers (he was well aware that there is no longer a regular limited Principal competition for Overseas Civil Servants). I stressed the difficulties both of principle (the need for a Certificate of Qualification) and of practice (that we were entering a phase of serious promotion blockages), and said that if this request was to be given proper consideration it would need to be made formally and at a high level.

Gran

MKIL 256/1 RECEIVED IN REGISTRY 06 FEB 1936

GH WOLLEN

SSE Division

DESK OFFICER

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