§ MR. YOXALLTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can arrange that longer notice of the examination for vice-consulship, which is likely to be held next July, shall be given than was the case with the examination held in July last; whether this can be done by circulating information among chambers of commerce, to commercial schools and colleges, and through the newspaper organs of the various trades and industries; whether he will arrange that a larger proportion of appointments should be reserved for candidates with previous commercial experience than was the case at the examination this year; find, further, that nominations to take these examinations should be given by the Advisory Committee on Commercial Intelligence to the Board of Trade.
§ (Answered by Secretary Sir Edward Grey.) Examinations for the consular service depend on vacancies, which do not as a rule average more than two or three a year. It is not convenient to hold an examination in anticipation of vacancies which cannot be counted upon, or on the occurrence of one vacancy only. 1020 Candidates may, however, depend upon one examination a year, and they are expected to be prepared for it whenever it may occur, and not to begin preparation for it after they have received a nomination to compete. Anyone who wishes to enter the consular service can obtain information as to the subjects of examination by applying at the Foreign Office, or at the Civil Service Commission, and I do not see that any advantage would be gained by circulating information in the manner suggested. At the last examination I nominated eighteen general candidates. One place out of four was set aside for commercial candidates, but only one out of the three who presented themselves qualified. I took great pains to obtain candidates, by consulting heads of commercial and banking houses, and through advertisements in the Press, in consequence of which 200 applications were received, but of these only three decided to compete. As regards the suggestion that nominations to compete for the consular service should be in the gift of the Board of Trade, I think it desirable as long as that service is under the Foreign Office, that the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs should be responsible for the candidates selected; but I am always glad to take the advice of the Board of Trade with regard to candidates.