Thank you for your letter of 13 January about the FCO response to the tsunami disaster in the Indian Ocean. I appreciate the flexibility you offered over the timing of our reply.

  The Committee asked for a detailed commentary on the main criticisms of the FCO which appeared in the press balanced by some of the tributes paid to its work under difficult circumstances. The Committee also requested a chronology of events as well as information on the lessons learnt from this tragedy for the handling of any future major disaster.

  A Memorandum covering these issues is attached.

Rt Hon Jack Straw MP

Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

9 March 2005