TNAG-2059-FCO40-2937-Hong-Kong-Overseas-Service-Pensioners--Association-(OSPA)-1990 — Page 26

OVERSEAS SERVICE PENSIONERS' ASSOCIATION

PRESIDENT:

The Lord Grey of Naunton, GCMG GCVO OBE

SECRETARY:

Mr. C. D. Stenton

Your Ref:

Our Ref: FNMP/RJH/F3HK

63 CHURCH ROAD

HOVE SUSSEX

BN3 2BD

Telephone: Brighton (0273) 721630

25th April, 1990

R.J.T. McLaren, Esq., C.M.G.,

Assistant Under Secretary of State (Asia),

Foreign & Commonwealth Office, Whitehall,

London,

SW1A 2AH.

Dear Mr. McLaren,

Miss Marsden, HKD

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Thank you for your letter of 6th April acknowledging mine of 4th April. (Incidentally my letter of 4th April crossed in the post with the Minister of State's letter of 2nd April).

As a follow-up to my letter of 4th April I enclose a copy of a letter dated 9th April from Sir David Ford to Mr. Colvyn Haye, and Mr. Haye's reply of 19th April thereto. Sir David's letter is in answer to the letters, copies of which I enclosed with my letter of 4th April. In this present letter the Chief Secretary indicates the very firm line which the Hong Kong Government takes in refusing to accept any responsibility to maintain the sterling value of overseas pensions.

We are not clear as to the 'special obligation' as referred to in sub-paragraph (iv) of Sir David's letter, and Mr. Haye

The only comments on this in the fourth paragraph of his letter. 'obligation' which Her Majesty's Government has undertaken in respect of overseas (i.e. HMOCS) Eong Kong Pensioners is in respect of the SPOS; and you will be aware from all our previous correspondence with both the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Overseas Development Administration on this subject that HMG, despite our strong representations, has refused to apply the SPOS as a means of maintaining the sterling value of the basic pension. You will no doubt wish to point this out to the Hong Kong Government in your correspondence with them

Yours sincerely,

on this subject.

melle

(F.N.M. Pusinelli)

Chairman

25.

Encs.