Britain: An official handbook > 1993

Introduction
Britain 1993 is the forty-fourth in the
series of Handbooks prepared each year by
the Central Office of Information (COI).
Drawing on a wide range of official and
other authoritative sources, it provides a
factual overview of Government policy and
other important developments. It describes
the workings of government and other
major institutions; the various sectors of
the economy; social, cultural and
environmental matters; international
affairs; and British achievements in many
fields.
The Handbook is widely recognised as
an established work of reference, not only
in Britain but overseas, where it is an
important element of the information
service provided by British diplomatic
posts. It is sold by HMSO and its agents
throughout the world.
New Features
The text has, of course, been fully updated
and revised, and this year a number of
new features have been introduced, some
at the suggestion of readers:
• a list of government departments and
their executive agencies, with a
description of their functions.
Addresses and phone numbers are
given for each of the main
departments;
• a list of the main White Papers and
Green Papers issued since January
1990; and
• a new statistical annex containing a
selection of the main economic
statistics. Detailed statistics continue
to be given in the individual chapters.
Coverage
Every effort is made to ensure that the
information given in the Handbook is
accurate at the time of going to press. The
text, generally, is based on information
available up to September 1992.
As far as possible, the Handbook presents
information that applies to Britain as a whole.
However, this is not always possible. Care
should be taken when using the Handbook to
note whether the information given refers to:
• Britain, formally the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Northern Ireland;
• Great Britain, which comprises England,
Wales and Scotland;
• England and Wales, which are grouped
together for many administrative and
other purposes; or, in some instances,
• England alone.
Further Information
The Handbook forms part of a series of
factual publications which together provide a
broadly based and continuously updated
information source on British affairs.
• Current Affairs - A Monthly Survey is a
monthly digest of significant
developments in all areas of British
affairs. Published as part of the Aspects of
Britain series, it serves not only to
update the information carried in the
Handbook and the other series titles, but
as a long-term journal of record. Each
issue has separate sections dealing with
governmental; international; economic;
and social, cultural and environmental
affairs; and there is a list of recent
documentary sources for these areas.