§ MR. MURRAY (Coventry)To ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been called to recent appointments to missions abroad of persons not belonging to the regular diplomatic service; whether, with the view of preventing discouragement to men who have little interest, but who have given good service in distant quarters of the world, and stagnation in the ranks, he will, in the event of any immediate vacancy occurring at a secondary European post, give an assurance that the claims of members of the diplomatic service will be kept in view.
(Answer.) The claims of members of the diplomatic service are always con sidered when selections are made for appointment to missions abroad, but in the exercise of the discretion which is reserved to him under the regulations for the diplomatic service, the' Secretary of State cannot agree to any limitation which might prevent him from making such recommendations as may seem to him best for the public interest.—(Foreign Office.)