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CHAPTER 17
INFORMATION WORK
17.1 17.4
17.1
17.1.1
WORK DONE IN DEPENDENT TERRITORIES
The information work described in DSP Volume 62 is not carried out direct in Dependent Territories (DTs). The Governments are not "Posts" and there are no Information Officers posted from the FCO. But the Governments of even the smallest DT have at least one Information Officer of their own. He (or his Department, in a larger DT) carry out in that Territory information functions on behalf of that Government (not of HMG in the UK). The Officer Administering the Government (OAG) and the Government of a DT do not, on a regular basis, project the "image" or policies of HMG in the UK.
17.1.2 OAGs regularly receive appropriate guidance telegrams and other material. On matters of policy, an OAG may be requested to publicise and support HMG's objects and viewpoint. In such cases, he should be requested to assist in a telegram or letter originated by the appropriate FCO Department (informing the geographical Department), which should, where applicable, draw attention to the relevant guidance material.
17.2
WORK ON BEHALF OF DTS
The Governments of DTs do, on occasions, need information work carried out on their behalf outside their Territories. Some activities (eg a Constitutional Conference or a Ministerial meeting) may give rise to the need for publicity, information work or guidance material. The DT geographical Department makes the necessary arrangements in consultation with, and assisted by, Information Policy Department and News Department.
17.3
GUIDANCE MATERIAL SENT TO DTS
Guidance material is, where appropriate, sent to OAGS of DTs for the information of themselves and of their staffs. Unclassified material may be circulated to local Ministers and officials of the Government
17.4
GUIDANCE MATERIAL ABOUT DTS
The DT geographical Department is responsible for advising on the content of any guidance material concerning a DT or its affairs, and should be prepared, if required, to produce the original draft. The DT geographical Department should clear such drafts within Whitehall as necessary, and this should be co-ordinated with Overseas Information Department, who are responsible for the issue of the material. Guidance material concerning a DT need not necessarily be agreed in advance with the OAG. The Head of the DT geographical Department should always consider whether this is necessary or advisable, having regard to the time factor eg in relation to crises or disturbances.
October 1978
77
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