TNAG-2764-FCO40-3981-UK-Hong-Kong-Scholarship-Scheme-donation-to-the-UK-Governme-1993 — Page 65

CODE 18-77

Moore.

Ms Haspel

Hong Kong Department

HKB

PCS28/393/1

285/1

Refere

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

2 MAR 1033

DESK OFFICER INDEX

REGISTRY

PA

[Action: Tau

S K TANG BEQUEST AND UK/HK SCHOLARSHIPS

1.

2.

Thank you for your minute of 2 February.

(24)

Pa sk Fas

+ Scholarships

Overall your proposed submission meets CRD's various concerns over the scholarships funding aspects.

A couple of comments:-

3.

(i)

(iv)

We

Do you think we should bring the British Council (BC) here back into the picture at this point, perhaps by showing them the relevant parts of the draft submission? could emphasise that in principle we are looking for the BC to get involved (at a later stage) but that we should want to agree with them appropriate conditions for their handling of the money and to insist on FCO involvement in candidate selection (para 1 (iv) (C)) of my minute of 26 January refers? It might be awkward to bowl ahead assuming we can satisfactorily secure BC's cooperation only to come to a point close to 1997 when we have to bring the principal back and then find there are difficulties with the Council.

and

Perhaps in slightly longer time we need to consult with you on how we break the news to Hong Kong that we shall want to bring back to the UK the two-thirds scholarships principal before 1997 (albeit quite close to that date); that we would propose to set up a replacement scholarships scheme with BC cooperation for Hong Kong students but based in and administered from the UK after that date; that we also probably need to start rumming down the present Hong Kong scheme three years before 1997 (given that the majority of the awards are of three years duration). I assume this may all be somewhat sensitive. Another option might be to let the existing scheme run on without interruption; after 1997 the replacement scheme at this end will simply take over any outstanding commitments on three year awards already made (providing the funding from UK investment of the principal is sufficient). We should at some point soon consult/alert the Governor's Office about our

plans?

useong

M J Long

Head of Overseas Students Policy Section

Cultural Relations Department

9 February 1993