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Foreign and Commonwealth Office London SW1A 2AH
Telephone 01- 233 4828
(ther Cruickshank has
Mrs L Johnson
Submited
1 P
der Rees).
Your reference
OT4 2
26
PA, on Briely? for Men
Bipt.
161
A
154
B
160
Department of Trade
Room 305
1 Victoria Street
LONDON SIL
Our reference HKK 026/15
Date
MICK 026/2
н
10 December 1982
π für 13/12
BRIEFING FOR MR REES' VISIT TO THE FAR EAST
1.
We spoke, and I agreed to provide a note on the Select Committee for Industry and Trade's complaint about the disclosure to the Hong Kong Government of the briefing by Lord Belstead. Mr Rees may wish to be aware of this.
2.
Lord Belstead, as the FCO Minister responsible for Hong Kong, briefed the Select Committee on 10 November. The main points which came up on Hong Kong, particularly concerning textiles, were passed on to Hong Kong and BTC Hong Kong in FCO telegram number 945 of 11 November.
3.
The existence and contents of this telegram were revealed when the Committee met Mr Dorward, Secretary of Trade and Industry, in Hong Kong. Some Committee members took exception to private briefings being reported in this way. Sir Donald Kaberry (Chairman) smoothed matters over at the time, but wrote to Lord Belstead on 30 November, complaining about the disclosure.
4.
Lord Belstead replied on 3 December giving our understanding that the briefing session was personal and informal, and not subject to normal Select Committee rules of procedure. In fact, even if it had been a Select Committee evidence session, it would have been perfectly in order to have informed posts of the Committee's preoccupations. Lord Belstead nevertheless assured Sir Donald that no discourtesy to the Committee was intended.
cc:
PS/Lord Belstead
MTP Burton
Hong Kong and General Department
Miss J C Smith, PCCU, FCO
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