CONFIDENTIAL
69843
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BRIEF AS POSSIBLE. AS REGARDS DRAFTING, I SUGGEST THAT WE
PREPARE A FIRST DRAFT OF (A), (C) AND, ONCE THE OVERALL SHAPE OF
THE REPORT IS CLEARER, (L). WOULD YOU BE PREPARED TO DO THE
FIRST DRAFT FOR ALL OTHER SECTIONS? I REALISE THIS IS RATHER ONE
SIDED DIVISION OF LABOUR, BUT I THINK IT WOULD MAKE SENSE TO
TACKLE IT IN THIS WAY (I UNDERSTAND LAST YEAR YOU VERY KINDLY
UNDERTOOK ALL THE INITIAL DRAFTING). I SUGGEST WE EXCHANGE FIRST
DRAFTS OF (C), (D) AND (E) BY TELEGRAM. OTHER SECTIONS COULD BE
SENT BY BAG.
4.
ON THE PERIOD TO BE COVERED BY THE REPORT, I THINK WE
HAVE TWO OPTIONS:
(I)
TO FOLLOW THE PATTERN OF LAST YEAR AND PRESENT THE REPORT
TO PARLIAMENT AT THE END OF THE YEAR, COVERING A PERIOD
UP TO THE END OF OCTOBER.
(II)
5.
TO MOVE TO A PATTERN OF ANNUAL REPORTS WHICH COVER A
CALENDAR YEAR. THIS WOULD MEAN THAT THIS YEAR'S REPORT,
LIKE THE FIRST, WOULD IN PRACTICE COVER A PERIOD LONGER THAN A YEAR (NOVEMBER 1985- DECEMBER 1986) AND WOULD BE
PRESENTED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE FOLLOWING YEAR.
THEREAFTER THERE WOULD BE A TIDY ANNUAL RHYTHM.
I HAVE NO PARTICULARLY STRONG FEELINGS EITHER WAY, AND OF
COURSE WE WOULD NEED TO ASK MINISTERS FOR A DECISION. BUT I
THINK IT MAKES MARGINALLY MORE SENSE TO GO FOR REPORTS
CORRESPONDING TO CALENDAR YEARS. AS I RECALL, THE PRINCIPAL
REASON THAT WE COVERED THE PERIOD TO THE END OF OCTOBER LAST YEAR
WAS SO THAT THIS WOULD COINCIDE WITH THE OPENING OF THE LEGCO
SESSION. THIS DATE IN TURN HAD BEEN SETTLED ON AT A TIME WHEN
THE THINKING WAS THAT THE REPORT WOULD ESSENTIALLY CONSIST OF
YOUR OWN OPENING ADDRESS TO LEGCO. AS WE HAVE MOVED ON FROM
THAT, THERE SEEMS FROM HERE NO COMPELLING REASON TO STICK TO THE
OCTOBER-OCTOBER PERIOD.
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CONFIDENTIAL