Appendix 4: Letter to the Chairman
from the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
LIAISON WITH THE QUADRIPARTITE COMMITTEE
Thank you for your letter of 25 October.
Your first point is well taken. As you know,
agreeing a response to any enquiry directed to four departments
is considerably more time-consuming than, for example, replying
to the Foreign Affairs Committee alone. There was also a particularly
large amount of licensing information to consider, but I accept
that it is unfortunate that we were unable to supply the declassified
data in time to meet the print deadlines for your report of 18
May. We have now published this data on the FCO's website, in
order to be as open as possible.
On your second point, we did strive to meet
the deadline officials agreed with your clerk to reply to your
extensive and detailed report, and regret that this was not possible.
With the resources available in this area, and the need for Ministers
in four departments to comment on and clear the reply, our response
was sent to the Committee two days before your meeting. I am sorry
if this did not allow sufficient time for it to be considered
fully. Nevertheless, I hope you will agree that the answers (particularly
the lengthy response to your conclusion 48) genuinely respond
to all of the points raised, and show the seriousness with which
Government takes the Committee's views on strategic export controls.
Jack Straw
November 2004
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