TNAG-1838-FCO40-2613-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1989 — Page 70

MANAGEMENT IN CONFIDENCE

PARLIAMENTARY SELECT COMMITTEES : VISITS OVERSEAS

These notes, which are to be read in conjunction with the

relevant chapters of DSP Vol 5 on Parliamentary work and the Whitehall "Memorandum of Guidance for officials", provide guidance for posts visited by a Select Committee. They have been written specifically with the Foreign Affairs Committee in mind, but they apply in general to visits by other Select

Committees of both Houses of Parliament.

THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE (FAC)

1.

The Foreign Affairs Committee is one of 14

departmentally related Select Committees appointed by the

House of Commons in June 1979. Its terms of reference are "to examine the expenditure, administration and policy" of the Foreign and Commonwealth office and its Overseas Development Administration wing. Its responsibility also extends to the British Council, the Commonwealth Development

Corporation, the External Services of the BBC and the Crown

Agents.

2. The Committee may consider any subjects which fall within its terms of reference. Inquiries are normally

conducted on the basis of written and oral evidence taken

from a variety of sources. On completing the inquiry, the Committee issues a report which includes an assessment and recommendation. HMG (ie in this case the FCO) then has 2

months to draft and publish its reply.

3.

Although the Committee exists formally in a purely advisory capacity, it has come to exercise influence, both in public discussion and privately behind the scenes, on a wide range of foreign affairs issues.

/4.

MANAGEMENT IN CONFIDENCE