§ MR. BAILLIE COCHRANEasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, If the Government intend to carry out the recommendations of the Diplomatic Committee?
§ VISCOUNT ENFIELDSir, Lord Granville highly appreciates the attention which the Committee bestowed on the important questions connected with Her Majesty's Diplomatic Service, and he 1216 will not fail during the Recess to consider how far it may be possible to give effect to the valuable suggestions in their Report. Some of those suggestions, however, and specifically those relating to increased expenditure, and the alterations in the time from which length of service can be taken into account in awarding pensions to retired or unemployed diplomatic servants would require the assent of Parliament, either in voting the money required to carry them into effect or in modifying the Act of Parliament by which diplomatic pensions are now regulated; but in regard to other points which the Secretary of State is free himself alone to deal with, the House may be assured that the recommendations of the Committee will receive from Lord Granville the most attentive and respectful consideration, and he believes that he has already had occasion to act in the spirit of these recommendations.