TNAG-1837-FCO40-2612-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1989 — Page 50

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TELNO 192

OF 201545Z JAN 89

AND TO PRIORITY PEKING

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MDLOAN 7224

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OUR TELNO 181: HOUSE OF COMMONS FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE. ENQUIRY INTO HONG KONG.

1.

AS YOU KNOW, THE FAC HAVE JUST ANNOUNCED THEIR INTENTION TO HOLD AN ENQUIRY INTO 'PROGRESS IN IMPLEMENTING THE SINO-BRITISH AGREEMENT OF 1984 ON HONG KONG'. IN CONNECTION WITH THIS ENQUIRY THEIR PROVISIONAL PLANS ARE TO VISIT HONG KONG ARRIVING ON THE AFTERNOON OF 17 APRIL, TRAVEL TO PEKING ON 22 APRIL AND DEPART FOR LONDON ON THE EVENING OF 26 APRIL.

AS A FIRST STEP, IT IS NECESSARY FOR THE CLERK TO THE COMMITTEE TO SUBMIT AN EARLY AND ACCURATE ESTIMATE OF EXPENDITURE THAT WILL BE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS VISIT. TO ENABLE HIM TO DO THIS WE WOULD BE GRATEFUL IF POSTS COULD LET US HAVE (NO LATER THAN 6 FEBRUARY) THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION, ASSUMING A PARTY OF OF 8 MEMBERS AND 3 STAFF:

M

3.

(A) A FIRM ESTIMATE OF THE COST OF HOTELS AND ANY LIKELY PROBLEMS WITH AVAILABILITY AT THE TIME OF THE VISIT:

(B) THE COST OF LOCAL TRANSPORT, AND SUGGESTIONS FOR THE

MOST COST-EFFECTIVE TYPES (CHAUFFEUR DRIVEN CARS, MINIBUS ETC)

(C) THE COST OF CAND LIKELIHOOD OF NECESSITY FOR)

INTERPRETATION

(D) PROPOSALS FOR CURRENCY (USE OF LOCAL CURRENCY/POUNDS/

DOLLARS) AND ANY CURRENCY RESTRICTIONS

(E) NAME OF A CONTACT AT THE POST WHO WILL BE DEALING WITH

THE ADMINISTRATIVE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE VISIT.

THE MOST FREQUENT SOURCE OF COMPLAINTS BY SELECT COMMITTEES IS THE STANDARD OF THE HOTEL OFTEN CHOSEN FOR THEM BY THE POST. IF THERE IS ANY DOUBT ABOUT THE SUITABILITY OF THE MARKER HOTEL,

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