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needs a memorandum covering the interests of several departments,

it may be better for this to be submitted by the department with

the predominant role in the field concerned, wherever one can be identified (rather than by a co-ordinating department such as the Cabinet Office). If the Committee then ask that department questions (whether in writing or orally) proper to some other department, they

can be re-directed.

31. In these cases it is clearly desirable for all the departments

concerned, in accordance with normal procedure, to keep in touch in

the preparation of their evidence eg by exchanging drafts. Where

there is no co-ordinating machinery already available for this

purpose it may be best for the department with the predominant role

to act as a central point.

32.

Greater difficulties may arise when the subject under inquiry is

one in which no department can be said to have a predominant interest

- eg population growth: where in such cases the Committee needs a

memorandum covering the interests of several departments eg setting

out the range of Government activities in the field concerned - it

may well be necessary for the body which co-ordinates Government

action in that field to submit it. It seems desirable, however, so

to organise such memoranda as to indicate, for each aspect covered,

which department is primarily responsible and at least by implication

the limitations of the co-ordinating responsibility, This should

assist the Committee in summoning the witnesses appropriate to the

aspects they wish to investigate at each session; and if the questions

asked are misdirected, no doubt the witnesses will say so. The

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