TNAG-2271-FCO40-3270-Hong-Kong-Her-Majesty-s-Overseas-Civil-Service-(HMOCS)-corr-1991 — Page 216

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Foreign & Commonwealth

Office

7

G

London SW1 2AH

21 February 1991

GCS Smith Esq

Chairman

Pensionable Service Committee Association of Expatriate Civil

Servants of Hong Kong

Room G12

Central Government Offices East Wing

Lower Albert Road

HONG KONG

Dear Mr. Smith,

Thank you for your letter of 25 January to Lord Caithness. have taken careful note of the points in your briefing note.

Lord Caithness appreciates the concerns of HMOCS members. is in particular well aware of concerns about fluctuating exchange rates.

We

He

You also mention the Supplementary Pension for Overseas Service (SPOS). I should perhaps point out that SPOS is not, as you suggest, intended to protect the sterling value of the basic pension. SPOS is intended to ensure that overseas pensioners receive the same increases in pension as their UK counterparts on comparable pensions. In other words, its aim is to extend the benefits of index-linked pensions to overseas pensioners.

These matters are the subject of current discussions between the relevant Departments of the British and Hong Kong Governments. At present, however, we have nothing to add to our earlier statements.

A R Paul

Yours Sincerely Alan Parc

Head of Hong Kong Department

CC3ACA