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minutes to process. This assumes that 10% of cases require further enquiries to be made; if this is reduced to 5%, which is
considered more plausible, the processing time is cut to 65
minutes.
21. Annex B sets out a calculation of the number of case working
staff required, on the assumption that recommendations must be
processed at the rate at which they are received, ie that no
backlogs are allowed to build up over the year. The impact of
the legislation on confidence and emigration rates will depend
critically on grants of citizenship coming through quickly. The
Annex suggests the need for 6.3 clerical staff and 6.5 executive
staff, which we have rounded to seven clerical and six executive.
Our analysis showed that it would be possible to reduce the staff
requirement to five clerks and four executive grades if the team
were given three years to complete its work, instead of two. For
the reasons noted above this would not be acceptable.
22. In addition to the case working staff it is considered that a team leader will be needed to set up and manage the operation,
liaise with the Hong Kong Government and deal with any difficult
cases. Не, supported by his staff, will also have a small
additional function, namely to scrutinise the security and anti-
corruption aspects of the passport arrangements and perhaps to
hold in safe keeping the British citizen passport blanks.
23.
With regard to grading, the team leader will be the
Secretary of State's representative in relation to the scheme and
will need to be able to deal with quite senior staff in the Hong
Kong Government. It is considered that he should be a Grade 7
or equivalent. This renders an SEO unnecessary and we have
therefore adjusted the gradings shown in Annex B. Accordingly,
it is estimated that the team will need to consist of one Grade
7, three HEOS, three EOS and seven clerks.
24. When the first tranche has been completed, ie after 1992/3, it should be possible to reduce the team's size. A rump may have to remain in place in order to process a few late applications
by dependants or as a result of marriages contracted by
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