TNAG-2442-FCO40-3549-Hong-Kong-Civil-Service-appointments-and-promotions-1992 — Page 39

C708462

REFERRED

"HD/HK

TO HD/HKD FOR DISTRIBUTION ADVICE

TMW

070845Z

LNMDAN 9656

HMLNAN 2846

CONF DENTIAL

N

PP F

FM HOKON TO FCOLN

0707OOZ FEB

GRS 473

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 343

OF 07070OZ FEBRUARY 92

PERSONAL FOR RICKETTS, HKD FROM PS/GH

YOUR TELNO 122: SENIOR APPOINTMENTS

1. AS YOU SAY

Mr Hone

My fox on

V

gwdging

Il does 'L

address He questia stat Ministers with de extranet

interested in He very

HAS SEVERAL TO

INFORM YOU OF ACTING APPOINTMENTS AT SECRETARY LEVEL, RATHER THAN

OF ACTING APPOINTMENTRAL YEARS BEEN THE PRACTICER THAN termos jos

TO SEEK FORMAL APPROVAL OF SUCH APPOINTMENTS. THERE HAS BEEN NO CHANGE IN THIS PRACTICE AS A RESULT OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S LETTER OF 3 JUNE 1991.

2.

ALL ACTING APPOINTMENTS IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICE ARE FOR ADMINISTRATIVE CONVENIENCE, NOT WITH A VIEW TO SUBSTANTIVE PROMOTION. LONG TERM ACTING APPOINTMENTS AS SECRETARIES WILL USUALLY LEAD TO SUBSTANTIVE APPOINTMENTS, FOR WHICH THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S APPROVAL WOULD BE SOUGHT, BUT THIS IS NOT ALWAYS THE CASE. YOU WILL RECALL THAT T.H. CHAU WAS NOT CONFIRMED AFTER ACTING FOR SOMETIME IN THE POST OF SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE.

3.

WE COULD OF COURSE SEEK THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S APPROVAL FOR ACTING APPOINTMENTS THAT ARE LIKELY TO LEAD TO SUBSTANTIVE APPOINTMENTS AS SECRETARY, IF YOU FEEL THIS IS ESSENTIAL. HOWEVER, AS YOU POINT OUT, WITH THE APPROACH OF 1997 APPOINTMENTS OF SECRETARIES ARE LIKELY TO BECOME MORE SENSITIVE. WE WONDER IF IT IS WISE TO CHANGE THE SYSTEM AT THIS STAGE. FOR MINISTERS TO BECOME INVOLVED NOW WITH ACTING APPOINTMENTS, WHICH HAVE HITHERTO BEEN MADE ON THE RECOMMENDATION OF A FORMALLY CONSTITUTED POSTING BOARD ON WHICH THE CHAIRMAN PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION SERVES AS AN OBSERVER, MAY BE MISUNDERSTOOD AND MAY PROVIDE AN UNHELPFUL PRECEDENT FOR POST-1997. THE JOINT DECLARATION PROVIDES FOR SECRETARY EQUIVALENTS POST-1997 TO BE APPOINTED BY PEKING ON THE NOMINATION OF THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE. OUR BELIEF AND AIM HAS ALWAYS BEEN THAT THIS SHOULD BE AN AUTOMATIC PROCESS, LEAVING THE KEY DECISIONS IN THE HANDS OF THE LOCAL CHIEF EXECUTIVE. THE GOVERNOR, WHILE UNDERSTANDING YOUR INTEREST IN THE QUESTION OF LOCALISATION AS A WHOLE, BELIEVES THAT WE NEED TO BE VERY CAREFUL, IN THE RUN-UP TO 1997, NOT TO SET UP PROCEDURES WHICH WILL HAVE THE EFFECT OF REDUCING THE HONG KONG ADMINISTRATION'S FREEDOM OF ACTION IN A WAY WHICH WILL RUN COUNTER TO OUR AIM OF SETTING THE SCENE FOR A HIGHLY AUTONOMOUS HONG KONG SAR AFTER 1997.

4. IF MINISTERS ARE INTERESTED IN THE WIDER ISSUE OF FUTURE APPOINTMENTS DURING THE TRANSITION PERIOD AND THE QUESTION OF LOCALISATION, IT MIGHT BE MORE PRODUCTIVE TO DEAL WITH THE SUBJECT IN A WIDER FRAMEWORK. ONE WAY OF DOING THIS WOULD BE FOR US TO SEND YOU A FORECAST OF SENIOR STAFF POSTINGS OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS. THIS WOULD OF COURSE HAVE TO BE WITH THE IMPORTANT CAVEAT THAT FORECASTS ARE JUST THAT, AND THAT ACTUAL ARRANGEMENTS OFTEN HAVE TO BE ALTERED TO MEET CHANGING CIRCUMSTANCES.

les, FS, CJ,

Ab eh). де в нетал Arrangements exist for clearing

Here?

7: