TNAG-1566-FCO40-2131-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-and-passports-Hong-Kong-(Br-1986 — Page 133

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had in the Libyan exercise, because fewer MPs would need to write to Ministers. (The Whips have so far distributed over 2000 copies of the Secretary of State's letter, presumably to answer constituents enquiries.

We have so far received about 200 MPs' letters and over 10,000 letters from the public. No 10 have received about 30 MPs' letters, almost 15,000 from the British public and about 3,500 from the United States.)

3.

This led to a general discussion in the PLG about whether the current briefing arrangements for Parliament were adequate. For example, were there other subjects of topical or potential parliamentary interest where background briefing along the lines of the Secretary of State's Libyan letter might serve both to inform MPs and to enable them to respond to constituents' letters without bothering Ministers? There seemed to be a trend towards this sort of factsheet approach in other Whitehall Departments.

4.

Mr Eggar asked for the preparation of a portfolio of MPs' letters currently generating interest which are being dealt with on a word processed or factsheet basis. These fall into two broad categories: firstly, letter campaigns initiated by pressure groups, which tend not to be on issues on widespread concern but which create a considerable amount of correspondence; and, secondly, letters on subjects of genuine public interest, either of a long term nature (eg South Africa) or on a crisis of the day (eg Libya). A list of all these, together with copies of the stock replies in each case, is attached. Mr Eggar agreed that we should try to identify potential issues likely to generate public and parliamentary interest over the next few months with a view to the preparation of pre-emptive letters or factsheets. Gibraltar was mentioned as a possible example. Others might be the Hong Kong (Nationality) Order in Council, the report of the EPG, the World Cup in Mexico, the EC Presidency and further Libyan developments.

5. Background Briefs, Foreign Policy Documents and Arms Control and Disarmament newsletters are already given a fairly wide distribution in Parliament and we shall shortly be extending these arrangements. These documents are currently sent to 105 MPs, on the basis of an expressed interest in particular foreign affairs topics. Information Department are submitting draft letters from Mr Eggar to a further selected list of MPs and Peers asking whether they wish to receive the documents in future and, if so, on which subjects. PRU have suggested the names of just over 300 MPs who might be included in