this exercise. Many of the background briefs cover topical issues; the most recent, for example, is on Qadhafi and Irish Terrorism.
6. The purpose of this minute is not to recommend any changes in current arrangements but, as requested, to record the background to this exercise and to cover the portfolio of stock letters. The FCO has emerged rather well in Parliamentary terms from the Libyan crisis as it has so far developed, far better than would have been imaginable two or three years ago, and I believe the Secretary of State's letter played an important part in this. In any further discussions we should, however, bear in mind that the resource implications of any major changes in our briefing arrangements would need to be considered in a wider context than the PLG.
PJ Bacon
Parliamentary Relations Unit