TNAG-2271-FCO40-3270-Hong-Kong-Her-Majesty-s-Overseas-Civil-Service-(HMOCS)-corr-1991 — Page 134

AECS

Ref: R 6

CSB Ref: AP 295/134/1(2)-88

The Secretary for the Civil Service, Government Secretariat,

Lower Albert Road,

Hong Kong.

10 June 1991

Dear Sir,

COPY

Option for New Pension Scheme

There are a number of issues affecting expatriate officers on pensionable terms under consideration by the Hong Kong and United Kingdom Governments and, although not all can be resolved quickly, progress is being made. However on one subject there is, at present, no movement.

Your letter of 13 June 1990 turned down our request that the option date for the NPS be extended beyond 30 June 1992. You stated that HMG has confirmed that the NPS will not affect HMOCS status and that the features of both the old and new pension schemes are clear. This is true, but what is still unclear to expatriate officers is whether there will be any General Compensation Scheme or any Public Officers Agreement for those who may not be allowed, or may decline the opportunity, to work for the future S.A.R. Government. As far back as 1986 we were advised by the FCO that the question of whether any (and if so, what) further compensation arrangements would be necessary is one that the FCO would be discussing with the Hong Kong Government in due course.

Your letter stated that you could see no basis to justify a special treatment for overseas officers, but overseas officers are in a different and uncertain situation which may become even more so post 1997.

There are a number of officers in our Association who would like to continue as public servants to the people of Hong Kong, but if there is still uncertainty by June 1992 they are unlikely to opt for the NPS and this could be detrimental to the present and future Hong Kong Administrations as well as the individual officers.

I would be grateful if this issue could be re-examined so that these officers will have an opportunity to opt with the full information before them.

Yours faithfully,

Albank Page

Allan R. Roger President.

PFL/jss

ASSOCIATION OF EXPATRIATE CIVIL SERVANTS OF HONG KONG

Room G12, Central Government Offices, East Wing, Lower Albert Road, Hong Kong Tel: 522-0568 Fax: 521-7923