BSA
3012
Commander British Forces
Hong Kong;
Flagstaff House
BPFO 1
Covering C NORMAL
AW. Agurreddy This is getting quite
Jonnal
Copy to: HKVOD
DD
FED (para. 10).
9/1
PA
BD
917
DmWarrior
3/7/75
RECEIV
REGISTRY, 63%
P.ccu.
H/1/407/75
3 .JUL 1975
1 July 1975
PuL3ph
SALICT COMMI "TLE ON MPANDITURI. SUB COMI.PA – VI IN PO NG!
1.
DEMENCI. AND DATRUEIRO APTAINS
HOJ telogram 2014504 June from AUD(GE) mentioned that we woulu send to 03F some background material on the Defence and External Affairs Sub Committee (JLADC).
2. The Select Committee on Ixpenditure (3001) came into being in 1970 replacing: and expanding the scope of the Select Committee on Latimates. SCOE's terms of reference are:-
"to consider any papers on public expenditure presented to the House
and such of the estimates 38 may seen fit to the committee and in particular to consider how, if at all, the policies implied in the figures of expenditure and in the estimates ray be carried out more ‘economically, and to examine the form of the papers and of the
estimates presented to the louse.”
3. The 3001 set up several functional sub committece: the Defence and External Affairs Sub Committec (TALC) takes a wide interpretation of SCOL's terms of reference and has maintained a close interest in the policies and operational/ administrative conɛilorations which lie behin figures for Jefence expenditure. The DASC is empowered by the lourd to send for persons and papers and it summons departmental officials and other vitnesses and asks departments to submit memo- randa. Cral evidence given before the Sub Committec by departmental witnesses is recorded verbatim by one of the official shorthand writes to the house.
4.
The question of whether a formal oral evidence sesrion will be held in long Kong has not yet been determined. The cost of flying out one of the House phorthand writere may be rohibitive and, at present, the sub Comittee has no authority to employ anybody else for the job. It may therefore be prudent to provile the full notes which we give to all Ministry of Defence officials and Service cffients who become involved with the DIASC. 1 attach a copy ci E notes: they consist of:-
b.
Ministry of Defence Notes on lealings with the LANC.
The Civil Service Jepartment's general guidance for officials
in dealing with Tarliamentary Select Committies and their Sub Committecs.
Notes on members of the AC.
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