TNAG-0525-FCO40-620-Visit-of-UK-Members-of-Parliament-(Defence-and-External-Affa-1975 — Page 223

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the Department with the major interest should co-ordinate the Press

briefing, though Press enquiries may be answered by the other

Departments concerned on the agreed lines.

42.

In respect of "omnibus" Reports from the Public Accounts

Committee, it is for Departments to prepare their own Press Notices,

if any, and information to be given to the Press. There is, however,

a specific undertaking given to the Committee by the Treasury in

December 1968 that information provided by Departments to the Press

will be confined to background and supplementary information of a

character not intended to be "controversial comments", will not contain

argument about the Committee's recommendations, and will be "vetted"

by the Treasury. As far as possible a record should be kept of these

Departmental statements so that disputes about their form and content

may be avoided. The arrangements in this paragraph apply also to

immediate comment on Reports of the Comptroller and Auditor General.

43. Most reports of Select Committees are made in the summer. In

such cases every effort should be made to present the Government's

replies as early as possible after the beginning of the next Session.

This ensures that the reply is available within some 4-4 months and

before the subject loses its topicality; and it also fits in with the

Parliamentary time-table since it is generally most convenient for the

House to debate these Reports early in the Session, often before

Christmas.

When Reports are published at other times in the

Parliamentary year the official replies should similarly be made as

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