TNAG-1010-FCO40-1260-Handling-of-Parliamentary-business-concerning-Hong-Kong-1981 — Page 8

AIR MAIL

(By airmail)

1-12 time

GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT,

HONG KONG,

HKK

Our ref. (72) in CR 1/3566770

Dem Partiuck деш

012/1

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51

15 MAY 031

DESK OFFICER

Parliamentary Question:

Mo

18.5

CHF Take y

13th May, 1981

Thank you for your letter dated 6th May 1981.

I have made inquiries into the handling at this end of your telegram 434, which arrived on desks here mid-morning on 6th May.

It appears that our reply just missed the 3.30 p.m. run up to Government House for despatch and so was left to await the next run at 4.30 p.m. The straightforwardness of the question and reply together with the fact that your stated deadline was somewhat earlier than the standard start of play rather encouraged us to believe that no great difficulty would be caused by leaving the reply to lie that extra half hour or so (which is the most which would have been saved by organising a special run). I might add that your telegram happened to arrive at an awkward time for those involved here in confirming and clearing your proposed reply, and we were relieved to have still got the corrected reply back to you early in your working day.

I am

We do, of course, take Parliamentary Questions and your deadlines for reply very seriously indeed and your warning shot has been registered here by all those concerned. sorry that this one caused you trouble. Incidentally next time you are here I hope there will be time for you to have a chat with Councils Section about these and allied matters.

Hope to see

you

in Londen in

July Yours

P.J. Williamson, Esq.,

ever

lam.

(I.F.C. Macpherson) Director of Administration

& Management Services

Hong Kong & General Department, Foreign & Commonwealth Office, London SW1A 2AH,

England.

IFCM/JAF/hl