TNAG-1222-FCO40-1532-Hong-Kong-annual-review-for-1982-1983-1983 — Page 60

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Circular 'O' 114/80 Home 'B' 62/80

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

London SW1A 2AH

24 June 1980

ANNUAL REVIEWS

1.

Once again I have read the latest crop of Annual Reviews with great interest. For the most part you have been sending in useful and often entertaining Reviews which have adhered to the standards set out in my circular of 30 March 1978.

2. I think however that further refinements to these standards are now in order and, after some discussion with the superintending Deputy Under Secretaries, I should like to ask you to observe the following additional points:

a)

Length

b)

Let me reaffirm the virtues of brevity. It is the only way to be sure of being read. 2,500 words of text should be the absolute maximum: ideally you should all aim for half that. And please do not forget the summary.

Content and Chronology

The review is a personal report and should be written by you personally. It should cover the main developments and act as an annual stock-taking of the country or organisation and of the British interest in it. Much of the history can be covered in the chronology and I would not object to your making more of the chronology in this way (with suitable assistance from your staff), provided that you keep your feet firmly on the ground in the Review itself.

c)

Timing

3.

But

More flexibility over the date your Review is written has proved helpful at this end and I should like to take this a step further. A calendar year will remain appropriate in most cases. wherever there is good reason of convenience or work pattern, eg in international organisations, Reviews may be sent at other suitable points in the year - eg mid-summer.

Finally some advice which applies to despatches generally. The value of despatches is reduced if they arrive at the wrong time or if they are too slowly processed at this end. There is not much we can do to hasten the actual printing process here (though we are trying). But I am asking Heads of Department to make

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