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Printed for the Cabinet. July 1949
SECRET
C.F. (49) 146
7th July, 1949
Copy No. 31
CABINET
DESPATCH OF CABINET AND CABINET COMMITTEE BUSINESS DURING THE SUMMER HOLIDAY
NOTE BY THE PRIME MINISTER
I propose that during the six weeks from 1st August to 10th September meetings of the Cabinet and its Standing Ministerial Committees should be reduced to the minimum.
2. I therefore ask all Ministers to consider forthwith whether there are any matters on which they will have to obtain decisions from the Cabinet or from a Cabinet Committee before the middle of September, and to make every effort to bring these matters forward for consideration by the end of July.
3. Problems relating to our balance of payments will doubtless need to be considered_by Ministers collectively during this period, and meetings of the Economic Policy Committee may have to be held for this purpose. I propose, however, that other urgent business which would ordinarily have been handled by a Cabinet Committee should be dealt with in this period by the Cabinet itself it should be meeting for other purposes. If any such business should arise during the period 1st August to 10th September, the Minister concerned should communicate with the Cabinet Secretariat, who will advise how it can best be handled.
if
4. I am making arrangements to ensure that a nucleus of Ministers will be available for any meetings of the Cabinet or Economic Policy Committee which may have to be held.
10 Downing Street, S. W. 1,
7th July, 1949.
C. R. A.
37241
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