TNAG-1548-FCO40-2112-Future-of-the-Hong-Kong-public-service-1986 — Page 24

CONFIDENTIAL

A

B

4.

Personal

references

apart, Mr

Justice

variety of

His first

Jackson-Lipkin's two latest letters cover a

subjects affecting Hong Kong's judiciary.

letter, marked confidential, touches on the policy of

localisation in the civil service. His second letter,

marked secret, raises more sensitive issues,

issues, relating to

the retirement ages of judges of the Hong Kong Supreme

Court and the Hong Kong Government's plans to localise the

judiciary.

5.

The present position is that the Hong Kong judiciary are overwhelmingly expatriate. The Hong Kong Government are

keen to achieve a better balance between locals and

expatriates by 1997: they do not intend, nor believe it

practicable, to aim at full localisation of the judiciary

by 1997 (or

(or in the foreseeable future beyond that date).

To this end Hong Kong have drawn up draft proposals to:

(a)

increase Supreme Court judges' retirement ages from

65 to 68, both for serving judges and future

appointees;

(b)

increase District Court judges' retirement ages from 60 to 65, for future appointees only; and

(c)

improve judicial pensions.

in combination will

local

The HKG believe that these proposals

both attract and retain the services of suitable

members of the Hong Kong Bar, and will ensure that those

found suitable to do so progress from the District to the

Supreme Court over the next 11 years.

CONFIDENTIAL