TNAG-2565-FCO40-3750-Hong-Kong-(Appeals)-Bill-1992 — Page 12

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b. In the case of new bids, you should let us ha completed proforma on the standard lines (described in the Cabinet Office Guidance).

C. In the case of Bills on the candidate lists, please let us have up-to-date information on the state of preparation of each Bill.

For each topic the Bill covers please

indicate:

i.

whether policy clearance has been secured. While a commitment in the Conservative Party Manifesto is a clear endorsement of a proposal, this does not the need in appropriate circumstances to secure the collective agreement of colleagues to detailed matters in which other Government Departments have a policy interest.

ii. whether instructions

have yet been sent to

Parliamentary Counsel, or your latest assessment when they will be sent.

of

The first priority for the Committee will be to identify the Bills which will be introduced early in the new Session. For planning purposes Bills in this category would need to be ready for introduction immediately after the Queen's Speech on 6 May. I am aware from my own contacts with Departments and Parliamentary Counsel of the state of readiness of the Bills in this category on FLG's candidate lists. If there are any new bids for early introduction please let me have a completed pro- forma by 3.00 pm on Monday 13 April. The proforma should indicate clearly when instructions on the Bill could be sent to Parliamentary Counsel; and when the Department estimate it might be ready for introduction.

I shall be writing separately about bids for private members' handout Bills but it would be most helpful if at this stage you could indicate those Bills which, if they could not be accommodated in the main programme for 1992/93, might be appropriate as handout Bills.

Copies of this letter go to the private secretaries of all Ministers responsible for Departments and to Tim Sutton (Lord President's office), Gillian Kirton (Lord Privy Seal's office), Murdo Maclean (Chief Whip's office) and Ed Ollard (Lords Chief Whip's office). Copies go also to First Parliamentary Counsel and First Scottish Parliamentary Counsel.

Yours

joan Bailey.

MRS J M BAILEY