JAZZ
CONFIDENTIAL
FAC Enguing into Hory Mary Jih HKB 0113
pa 29 24 1/2
DISTRIBUTION: Heads of Dept
and above
FCO Circular: 38/89
Date: 10 February 1989
For action: Heads of Department and above
HOUSE OF COMMONS SELECT COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS (FAC)
1. A word about our relations with the Committee may be timely, as its members embark on their 1989 inquiry programme, training their spotlight first on Hong Kong.
2.
In the main, things have gone smoothly in recent years; FAC Members and Committee Clerks have told me how grateful they are for the help they receive from the Service both at home and overseas. But we cannot be complacent. This circular will, I hope, serve as a reminder that a Select Committee favourably disposed to the Office is something in which all of us, both Ministers and officials, have an interest.
3.
The Select Committee's demands can be considerable. While we cannot always meet them all, there are three areas where we might improve our assistance:
(a)
(b)
BRIEFING
Committee Members have said recently that they find our initial briefing material generally too discursive (their word) for their purpose. They also find that it often assumes a greater knowledge of the subject in the reader than is reasonable. MPS are (like us) busy people. The Committee would find our material more helpful if it followed a certain pattern, that is, an introduction to the country or issue, with appropriate background, followed by analysis. By this the FAC mean some description of British Government policies, and other relevant factors which the Committee will need to consider. Statistical data should be kept out of the text; it is better in an annex. Maps (easily photocopied) are welcomed.
CLASSIFICATION AND CONTENT OF BRIEFING
All written material destined for the FAC must be submitted through Parliamentary Relations Unit. Normally all such papers are unclassified but if,
PUG 410/5
/exceptionally
CC1BBS.
CONFIDENTIAL
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