TNAG-2633-FCO40-3824-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-British-Nationality-(Hong-K-1992 — Page 106

CONFIDENTIAL

4

26

Timing of transfer

12.

To ensure that any unused places are taken up, it is recommended that unused places should be transferred to the appropriate OGS and/or classes in a one-off exercise before applications are rejected. In terms of timing, theoretically the unused quotas of any OG/AO in the GOC or service in the DSC should be reallocated to other OGs/AOs/services when the

when the processing of all applications in the under-subscribed group is completed.

Not until then could the exact number of unused places be finalised. In practice however this process would take too long while the Government is expected to inform applicants of the status of their applications as early as possible.

13.

To allow a timely transfer of places to over-subscribed groups before any applications immediately below the quota line who might benefit from the transfer were rejected, it is suggested that the transfer, if necessary, should take place on a date to be specified by the Governor, This date should be well before the processing of all applications in the relevant group is completed but after the Government has established the size of the unused quota, To avoid playing up the issue of under-subscription, it is proposed that the transfer exercise should not be repeated even though there still appears afterwards to be surplus places. In any case, it would not be practicable to reallocate unused places after rejection letters have been issued.

Recommendation

14.

It is recommended that :-

(a) the Governor should be empowered to transfer unused places among over-subscribed OGs, AOS or disciplined services and between classes (para. 3);

CONFIDENTIAL