TNAG-2426-FCO40-3528-Hong-Kong-Her-Majesty-s-Overseas-Civil-Service-(HMOCS)-poli-1992 — Page 27

CONFIDENTIAL

HKA 233/1

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELNO 1145

OF 241727Z JUL 92

INFO PRIORITY UKREP JLG HONG KONG, PEKING

HMOCS: NUMBERS AND PENSION CALCULATIONS

474

052676 MDHOAN 8061

TOP COPY

Q DIST?

la

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WE WERE GRATEFUL FOR MISS TSANG'S (CIVIL SERVICE BRANCH (CSB)) LETTERS OF 23 AND 24 JULY BRINGING US UP TO DATE ON THE NUMBER OF CONTRACT OFFICERS WHO APPLIED FOR PERMANENT AND PENSIONABLE (P AND P) STATUS BEFORE THE 30 JUNE DEADLINE. WE WERE RATHER SURPRISED AT THE LARGE NUMBER OF NON-POLICE OFFICERS WHO HAVE APPLIED FOR P AND P (71) AND FOR HMOCS (45). (WE NOTE THAT THE 26 WHO HAVE NOT YET APPLIED FOR HMOCS COULD STILL DO SO.) WE HAD UNDERSTOOD FROM CSB EARLIER THAT THEY EXPECTED THE NUMBER TO BE SMALLER.

2. GIVEN THE IMPLICATIONS FOR HMG OF AN INCREASE IN NUMBERS FOR THE COSTS OF THE COMPENSATION SCHEME AND ANY STERLING SAFEGUARD SCHEME, WE HOPE THAT CSB WILL LIAISE WITH US CLOSELY WHEN PROCESSING THE APPLICATIONS. WE UNDERSTAND THAT, ON PAST FORM, NO MORE THAN A HANDFUL OF THE NON-POLICE OFFICERS ARE LIKELY TO SUCCEED IN THEIR APPLICATIONS FOR P AND P. IF THE SITUATION IS LIKELY TO BE DIFFERENT, WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL IF CSB WOULD CONSULT US BEFORE APPROVING ANY TRANSFERS.

IN ORDER TO PRESENT OPTIONS TO MINISTERS, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF WE COULD NOW USE ONE FIRM FIGURE FOR THE LIKELY NUMBER OF HMOCS IN 1997. WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR HELP IN ASSESSING WHAT THIS MIGHT BE. WE NOW HAVE YOUR REVISED CALCULATION THAT THERE WILL BE 533 CURRENT HMOCS IN POST IN 1997. FROM THIS WE CAN DEDUCT 180 TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF THE LIMITED COMPENSATION AND SPECIAL BRANCH SCHEMES. CAN YOU PLEASE ESTIMATE HOW MANY OF THE 85 POLICE OFFICERS WILL STILL BE IN POST IN 1997? PLEASE ALSO PROVIDE AN ESTIMATE OF HOW MANY OF THE 71 APPLICATIONS FOR P AND P FROM OTHER CONTRACT OFFICERS ARE LIKELY TO SUCCEED. WE ALSO NEED TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE JUDGES (WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR ADVICE ON OUR TELNO 1107.

4.

IN JULY 1991 YOU KINDLY PROVIDED US WITH DETAILED PENSION

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