SECRET AND PERSONAL
NEW GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG: SUPPORT STAFF
HKD 010/3
Present Position
1.
The Governor's personal staff is very small. He has a Counsellor-equivalent Principal Private Secretary and two Assistant Private Secretaries, all from the Hong Kong Civil Service. The Governor deals personally and frequently with the Chief Secretary, Financial Secretary, Policy Secretaries and other officials of the Hong Kong Government (HKG). He chairs EXCO and the Governor's Security Committee. He
follows in detail the negotiations with China in the Joint Liaison Group. The Chief Secretary is Head of the Civil Service. But the Governor himself is heavily involved in the detailed, day-to-day administration of Hong Kong, as well as carrying out extensive representational and
ceremonial duties.
2.
The Governor has also traditionally been the main
channel of communication with Ministers and the FCO.
Telegrams between HMG and Hong Kong go to and from the
Governor. This reflects the Secretary of State's
constitutional position under the Letters Patent, and also
the principle that the Governor is the source of official advice from Hong Kong to Ministers on policy questions.
3. Over the years, many parts of the Hong Kong administration have developed their own direct contacts with their Whitehall counterparts on technical matters. But Ministers and officials still seek the Governor's personal views on a broad range of policy issues, particularly on relations with China, and on the more sensitive aspects of the administration of Hong Kong. We often exchange 20 or
more "personal" telegrams a week with the Governor, and often seek his advice on complex issues at very short notice. (The Governor decides the distribution in Hong Kong of personal telegrams, and normally approves, although does
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