TNAG-1054-FCO40-1304-Trade-relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-the-UK-1981 — Page 178

CODE 18-77

Reference...

OA

All Assistants in Geographical De

OVERSEAS PROJECTS

1.

In his minute of 11 June 1979

HKIC. 121/10

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51 16 FEB1981

DESK OFFICER INDEX

REGISTRY Action Taken MT Burges Watson as

PA

Heads of Geographical Departments to Keep TRED regularl informed about the progress of makeoverseas projects with political implications. We are grateful to you all for doing so.

See @

2. Following some internal reorganisation within the Department of Trade, a new projects and export policy division (PEP) has been formed. PEP has been charged with providing a number of reports to a newly formed Cabinet Committee on Exports. For one of these reports, 'practices and priorities of our major competitors', PEP needs to examine the record of British firms in obtaining major project business overseas. Although PEP has a lot of information from posts on file, they are not confident that it is fully comprehensive. The Under- Secretary supervising PEP has asked Mr Evans for FCO assistance. PEP would be grateful if geographical departments would review their major projects files for 1979 and 1980 to try to identify wheer the reasons or the success or failure of a British firm in obtaining project business have been given and conveyed to the Department of Trade. Where the reasons have not been conveyed to the DOT, I should be grateful if you would let me have either, a copy of relevant papers or, preferably, a short summarising note. Even where the DOT has been kept fully informed, it may be that papers sent to, say, CRE divisons, have not always been copied to the projects division. For that reason, it would be very helpful if you would let me have a list of all the major projects with which you have

been involved during 1979 and 1980.

3.

*

I should be grateful if you would let me have this information by close of play 30 January at the latest.

16 January 1981

Jullian

P Sullivan

Trade Relations and

Exports Department

M. Williams

Mr. Scale

In liaison with the Hobs I suggest. The only

maja parject us

In action pl.

1

nuitted out v

that

I can hunt of is the 19 Amport comultanen and

191,

KICAA Meu mi m

hab

219.1