Mr Clift, HKD
CONFIDENTIAL
Eatin I have replied
D121
HB Warre
12/12
ash
8 December 1983
FROM:
DATE:
MKK040|16.
RECEIVER AN NCOISTA
cc:
PS
ALLU 1923
Aprior
PS/PUS
Mr Giffard
Mr Donald
HONG KONG:
1.
2.
3.
BRIEFING OF BACK BENCHERS
It may be helpful if I set out where we stand on this.
The present situation is as follows:-
i)
ii)
Conservative Back Bench MPs
We now have a list of some 20 names (copy attached) of people who would be interested;
Opposition Back Bench MPs
The principle that they should be offered the same facilities as Conservative Back Benchers now appears to be generally accepted, On timing, however, it might be better to wait until No 10 have given clearance of briefing on Privy Counsellor terms of Opposition leaders.
In these circumstances, Mr Luce's instinct is that we should hold over all briefings of Back Benchers on the background to Hong Kong until after the Christmas recess. Provided that we can get the notice out to Opposition leaders before Parliament breaks up for Christmas, we should by the middle of January have a fair idea of the total numbers involved, and could then proceed.
4.
In preparation for this, Mr Luce would welcome your advice on the best tactical approach for managing these meetings. In particular, he would welcome your comments on:
i)
ii)
size of meetings (he assumes it would be better to keep them small);
setting up arrangements (would the best thing to be to send round a general letter to all MPs who have said that they were interested, giving a series of dates on which briefings would be held and asking them to get directly in touch with you to register themselves?);
CONFIDENTIAL
/iii)
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