Richard Needham MP
Minister for Trade
*
Mr Richitts Hus
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so dongal, don't IN Bertran, OED
The Rt Hon Alistair Goodlad MP Foreign and Commonwealth Office King Charles Street
LONDON
SWIA
071-215 4301
AM2
2864
September 1993
Directorate
For draft reply by 7/10 please?
6.J. Darey 1/10
PSIM Gooded
Mr Curlin; OED have provided draft reply so HKD is retrencing this top copy.
Kr BJ
for a dft rep.
Cleared mit UOD
Y|PART
(and WOD - sei'x').
Department of Trade and Industry
Ashdown House 123 Victoria Street London SW1E 6RB
Direct line 071-215 4301
DTI Enquiries 071-215 5000
Mitar
I am glad to see that preparations for building the new Consulate General in Hong Kong are well under way. John Fletcher of Trafalgar House has told me that Gammon is bidding for the site formation and foundation contract which is about to be let. I understand that the main building contract will go out to tender next March. I have written to John Fletcher about these issues (copy of my letter enclosed).
I know you agree that we have to bear the UK's wider interest in mind in cases of this kind. It will be vital that the new Consulate General should reflect the best British building practice as well as the best design. We need to avoid sending misleading signals about our confidence in the UK construction industry other countries would be astonished if we seemed to be losing sight of our commercial interests in high profile projects of this kind. The Hong Kong building, as I am sure you agree, is a major opportunity to signal our support for UK firms in an important and visible place, in the heart of region where we must improve our project export performance.
I am glad that the FCO keeps the EGCI up to date on diplomatic building plans. I hope indeed that we can stay in touch during the tendering process for the main building contract for Hong Kong and on other similar projects like the new Embassy in Berlin.
dti
the department for Enterprise
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