TNAG-2190-FCO40-3127-Hong-Kong-nationality-package-1990 — Page 178

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Secondment Scheme

CONFIDENTIAL

Redacted

under FOI exemption section 27(1)

10. As indicated in my submission of 26 January, officials have

discussed with a number of firms their likely degree of interest

in the secondment scheme. Although all, without

without exception,

expressed disappointment that the scheme was to be within the

50,000 ceiling, rather than an "extra" and said that their

interest would be diminished as a result only two of the seven

said that they would be unlikely to participate. The others

thought that they

they would, though not necessarily with large

numbers. The companies who were interested were attracted by the

idea of being able to select key staff of the future and, by

arranging postings in the UK, virtually guarantee those selected

British citizenship.

11. It must be said that HKG and the Governor personally are

strongly opposed to the secondment scheme, now that it is within

the overall package. They see the secondment places as being at

the

expense of others who do not happen to work for a

participating organisation, and believe that future key staff can

most fairly be dealt with as part of the second tranche under the

General Allocation Scheme. They have also raised concerns about

the possibility that selection by companies may lead to

corruption, and about the resources necessary to check firms bona

fides. HKG is likely to participate in implementation only reluctantly.

12. Although we understand HKG's disappointment that the

CONFIDENTIAL