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THINK THAT WE HAVE A JUSTIFIABLE POSITION OF PRINCIPLE ON WHICH TO STAND. BUT IF IT BECAME NECESSARY TO TAKE SOME STEPS TO RESPOND TO THE GRIEVANCES OF THE OFFICERS CONCERNED ONE POSSIBILITY WOULD BE FOR HKG TO ALLOW SUCH OFFICERS TO REVERT TO CONTRACT STATUS IF THEY CLAIM THAT THEY HAVE BEEN MISLED WHEN THEY CROSSED OVER. THIS WOULD PRESUMABLY INVOLVE YOU PAYING BACK ANY GRATUITIES WITH WHICH THE OFFICER HAD BOUGHT BACK SERVICE (WITH INTEREST) AND ALSO PAYING ANY GRATUITIES THAT HE WOULD HAVE EARNED IN THE INTERIM HAD HE BEEN ON CONTRACT TERMS. IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO KNOW WHETHER YOU CONSIDER THIS TO BE A PRACTICAL PROPOSITION AND WHETHER IT COULD BE DONE ADMINISTRATIVELY OR WHETHER CHANGES TO THE LAW WOULD BE
REQUIRED:
IF YOUR EXPERTS HAD ANY OTHER IDEAS WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO HAVE THEM.
5. WE SHOULD MAKE CLEAR THAT OUR PROPOSALS FOR DEALING WITH COMPENSATION IN THE ABOVE WAY HAVE NO IMPACT ON THE WAY THE ODA CONSIDER BOUGHT-BACK SERVICE FOR SPOS PAYMENTS. NOR DO WE CONSIDER THAT THE SAME ARRANGEMENTS WOULD NECESSARILY APPLY TO ANY STERLING SAFEGUARD SCHEME WHICH MIGHT BE INTRODUCED.
6.
WE ARE FAXING YOU A COPY OF THE STATEMENT WE PROPOSE TO ISSUE DEALING WITH THESE MATTERS. THIS IS BEING CONSIDERED BY MINISTERS. WE WOULD BE MOST GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD ASSIST US IN ENSURING THAT ALL RELEVANT PARTIES ARE GIVEN A COPY, IN DUE COURSE.
HURD
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
39
.HER MAJESTY'S OVERSEAS
DISTRIBUTION
39
OVERSEA PENSIONS/ODA//MR FISH
PS/MR GOODLAD
.CIVIL SERVICE RESTRICTED HKD
LEGAL ADVISERS//MISS BROOKS FED
NEWS D
RAD//MR WYE
PS
PS/MR PATTEN
PS/PUS
SIR J COLES
MR HUM
Mr KERBY
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