TNAG-2675-FCO40-3872-Hong-Kong-garrison-withdrawal-plan-1993 — Page 96

GOVERMENT HOUSE HONG KONG.

WED 14 APR 93 69:53

PG.20

布政司署

香港下亞厘畢道

本署編號 Our Ret.. SCR 49/581/88

來頭擋號 Your Ref.

Major General J.P. Foley, CB, OBE, MC

Commander British Forces

Headquarters British Forces

HMS Tamar

British Forces Post Office 1

Jiar Johan

TAB E

GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT

LOWER ALBERT ROAD HONG KONG

14 April 1993

for

MOD visitors and new vehicles

Thank you for your letter of 31 March. I am grateful your clarification of these two issues.

You are correct to say that the figure of 700 visits was drawn from a press report. The Governor mentioned it

to the PUS only on that basis. I appreciate the dangers of believing what is written in the press, although the article

- a copy of which is enclosed did rather cleverly misrepresent this figure as being an official estimate.

W

We have, however,

sought to check the figure with your staff. Michael Rowse of our Finance Branch wrote on 22 February to the Civil Secretary, HQBF seeking information on, among other things, the number, nature and cost of visits in 1992-93.

On the purchase of the 168 vehicles, I appreciate that you see this as being in the interests of efficiency over the longer term. But expenditure on equipment and stores in 1992-93 was more than 40 per cent over budget, and this inevitably raised questions.

I also hope that early discussions can resolve these outstanding issues. I hope that to this end the Civil Secretary, HQBF, can give an early reply to our letter of 22 February.

Youny evid

Alishe

(A.P. Asprey) Secretary for Security