Representation at Interdepartmental Meetings
6.
It has been announced by the Minister for Overseas Development in Parliament that the F.C.O. and the O.D.A. will continue to be separately represented on interdepartmental Committees. It is understood that at present there are no Ministerial Committees on which the F.C.O. and O.D. A. are both represented, but that both are represented on five official Committees. This dual representation should continue.
It would normally
be desirable for the two wings to consult together before expressing views at a meeting at which both sides are present, although they would not necessarily have to come to an agreed view in all cases before the views of other Committee members were heard.
Correspondence
7.
(a) Official
(b)
The procedure for correspondence between the F.C.O. and the O.D.A. should be left flexible and largely at the discretion of the originators of the correspondence. If correspondence is being conducted internally between the two wings, then minutes will be adequate; but if it also involves communication with posts overseas or with other Government Departments, letters rather than minutes will be desirable. Files will not normally be exchanged but there will be no change in procedure where this is already done, e.g. personnel files for the staff of Dependent Territories. It is expected that when other Govern- ment Departments are corresponding on a matter that concerns both the F.C.O. and the O.D.A. they would send separate copies to each as in the past.
Non-official
Letters about aid from MPs and the public will normally be dealt with in the O.D.A. and, where appropriate, be signed by the Minister for Overseas Development. Such letters received in the F.C.O. Private Office will be transferred (either through the O.D.A. Private Office or direct to official level as appropriate), Letters on the merger will go to the O.D.A. Exceptionally, letters to F.C.O. (Whitehall) Ministers about aid matters will be answered by the Minister concerned where there is a personal reason (e.g. because a constituent has written) after consultation between his Private Office and the O.D.A. and on the lines: "I have consulted the Minister for Overseas Development and he has commented as follows.......
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