TNAG-1852-FCO40-2627-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1989 — Page 65

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FCO Circular: 338/89

Date: 25 October 1989

21111 مل

For Action: Heads of Department and above

WRITTEN BRIEFING FOR THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

1. The Clerk to the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Commons indicated recently that the Committee would welcome some change in the format of briefing for FAC visits overseas. Specifically, he asked that briefing on the local political scene and bilateral relations should include up-to-date reporting material (ie. telegrams and letters from posts, classified if necessary) rather than specially prepared unclassified papers. This would bring our practice more closely into line with the Treasury, Home Office and MOD.

2.

Ministers have decided that we should take a more liberal approach, and should move in the direction the Committee would like. The Cabinet Office agree.

3. When compiling briefing for the FAC, therefore, departments should from now on aim for the following format:

4.

a)

b)

basic background briefing on the country concerned (as far as possible unclassified), with any statistical material annexed;

copies of up-to-date reporting telegrams or letters classified up to Confidential, edited as necessary to remove sensitive material.

When no suitable reports from posts are available, departments should provide tailor-made briefs classified up to Confidential - they should be short, but as punchy and informative as possible, please. (No material classified above Confidential may be provided without reference to me. And it is important to ensure that no papers given to the Committee contain or reflect official advice to Ministers.)

TC2ACZ

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Briefing