A
PRESIDENT:
OVERSEAS SERVICE PENSIONERS' ASSOCIATION
The Lord Grey of Naunton, GCMG GCVO OBE
SECRETARY:
D. F. B. Le Breton, CBE
to fisetts, HID
cc. Ps 1 ms Goodhad
Advice and draft reply a ṣap. please.
The Rt. Hon. Alastair Goodlad, MP,
Minister of State,
Foreign and Commonwealth Office, King Charles Street, London SW1A 1AH
6. J. Janey
813
Ms Paris please
Date:
Our Ref:
138 High Street Tonbridge
Kent
TN9 1AX
Telephone: 0732-363836
5 March 1993 PL1
Your Ref:
Dear Mr. Goodlad,
HONG KONG OVERSEAS PENSIONERS
0873
Over three months have passed since I received your letter of 25 November 1992, and for which I am grateful, particularly as you concluded by expressing the hope that "it will not be too long before an announcement can be made." As an Association we are becoming ever increasingly concerned and frustrated at what has been an interminable delay in solving the problem arising from the depreciation since 1986 in the sterling value of the pensions paid to Hong Kong overseas pensioners. Year after year we have had Ministerial assurances that the matter was under active consideration.
Lord Caithness wrote in December 1991 "I am sorry we always seem to be telling you that we are on the verge of a breakthrough but never quite there." And he too expressed the hope of being "able to clarify our position soon." Whilst last June, Mr. Patten, as Governor-designate, wrote that: "We are all keen to resolve these issues as early as possible and we hope to have some news before long.'
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Whilst we can appreciate that there are advantages in dealing with the three issues of:
(a)
a compensation scheme for HMOCS officers still serving in 1997;
(b) sterling pension safeguards for overseas officers' pensions
post-1997;
(c)
safeguarding the sterling value of Hong Kong overseas pensions up to 1997;
as one package, we are most concerned that problems in dealing with the compensation scheme are holding up consideration of and dealing with the third issue. In fact a solution to the third issue would also provide the solution to the second issue. realise that the terms of the compensation scheme will need to be the subject of detailed consultation with the Association of Members of HMOCS in Hong Kong. However, as representing overseas pensioners, both those presently on pension and potential pensioners (i.e. HMOCS officers serving on pensionable terms), we wish once again to emphasise the urgent need to finalise and put
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