I am a retired writer, journalist and broadcaster.

As a Scotland Yard press officer based at Heathrow Airport, I applied for a Fellowship to study government information services in the United States. I worked in the press offices of the White House, the State Department, the Pentagon, the Justice Department, the FBI, the Federal Aviation Authority, and the New York City Police.

On my return in December 1975, I immediately had to put some of what I had learned in the United States into practice as the principal press officer handling the world's media during the IRA's Balcombe Street siege in London.

I went on to become head of the Press Bureau at Scotland Yard, crime correspondent for The Mail on Sunday, Controller of Public Affairs for Harrods and Director of Corporate Affairs for Fulham Football Club. I have published five books, written and broadcast widely on sport and lectured extensively on terrorism and the media.

My Fellow's Report referenced a number of working practices the Americans used to make their communication more effective and their operations more efficient. Many of these practices were subsequently adopted throughout the British Government Information Service.