TNAG-2101-FCO40-2990-HM-Overseas-Civil-Service-(HMOCS)-policy-matters-1990 — Page 169

M (90) 37

CONFIDENTIAL

511

HMOCS

policy

(b) CIVIL SERVICE PENSIONS: CURRENCY PROTECTION

Council's

The Chief Secretary sought the

views on this issue, in the light of renewed

pressure from pensioners residing in the UK to be

afforded a degree of currency protection following

into the ERM of the EEC's EMS and

implications on the strength of the

the UK's entry

its long-term

pound.

Members

whilst generally supporting the

line that it would not be possible to make special

arrangements for a numerically small group of

pensioners in the UK, at a time when the civil

service was actively focussing on pensions and

their security in the future, asked that an

Information Note should be submitted setting out

justification for this approach in greater

the

detail.

should we ask the Goven to disabure

Ex lo of this?

2.

Members noted that civil servants who were

recruited from the UK and who were therefore

Civil Service were in a

members of HM Overseas

different position from the rest of the civil

service. As a result of the change in sovereignty

in 1997, they would lose the protection of the

Secretary of State. HMG had acknowledged this and

expected to devise an appropriate scheme which

might include an element of currency protection.

was

CONFIDENTIAL