TNAG-2663-FCO40-3859-Future-of-Hong-Kong-British-Consulate-General.-With-photogra-1992 — Page 96

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5. Mr Brown (OED), speaking on the cost implications reported that news from the PES round was not encouraging. At present funding for the new Consulate General was secure, but Financial Years 2 and 3 (when most of our expenditure would occur) had been targeted by the Treasury to take the bulk of necessary real cuts in our capital expenditure programme. То increase the budgeted cost, in order to accommodate extra car parking, would almost certainly mean identifying savings elsewhere from other much needed FCO projects. Mr Cooke (Security Department) put on record the security view - the less cars the better and preferably a minimum of non-staff

cars.

6. Having considered the arguments, the committee decided on balance that the proposal for extra car parking places should be rejected.

SCHEDULE OF REQUIREMENTS

The committee agreed to the amendments proposed to the Schedule of Requirements (SOR).

STAFFING OF FUTURE CONSULATE GENERAL

8.

There followed discussion about the staffing paper (Hong Kong Future Consulate General: Transition from the British Trade Commission) circulated by HKD. Mr Hum requested a clarification of the wording in the section on immigration and passport work. This should reflect the fact that BDTCS would lose their status in 1997 - the future Consulate General would be responsible for giving consular assistance to former BDTCS who had taken advantage before 1997 of their eligibility to transfer to BNO status. Mr Morris (NTCD) wanted to see the paper spell out in more detail arrangements for transferring passport work (as opposed to visa work) well before July 1997. He envisaged a run-in period of about a year. During this time British and locally-engaged staff might work alongside or in tandem with the Hong Kong Immigration Department. Mr Ricketts confirmed that such a run-in period had been anticipated for passport work as well as visa work. This would be an area that the MRS would need to look at in order to determine precise requirements.

9. The committee noted that the Information Section was already up to its planned strength - Information Department were not, under current plans, intending any regional information role for the Hong Kong office.

10. The committee noted the Hong Kong Consultative Committee's suggestion that there might be justification for posting one legal officer to the future Consulate General. This question would need to be looked at further with Legal Advisers.

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