§ MR. J. M. ROBERTSONI beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any, and which, of the British Consuls in Egypt have been appointed to such posts by reason of their commercial and industrial experience; and whether, if such be not the case, he will, in order to assist British subjects in meeting the severe and increasing competition in that country, replace the present Consuls by others possessing the requisite experience, or, alternatively, will appoint commercial and industrial experts to British consulates in Egypt.
§ SIR EDWARD GREYThere are two British Consuls, one with the local the other with the personal rank of Consul-General, in Egypt, apart from Sir Eldon Gorst. Both of these Consuls are officers of long and thorough experience in all the duties, including the commercial duties, discharged by their service in oriental countries; and no reflection has been cast upon their qualifications for their present posts, which they have held for some years. There is, therefore, no reason for making any change at present of consular officers in Egypt. There are, in addition, two Vice-Consuls in Egypt. Consular posts in Egypt are usually filled from the Levant Service, entrance to which is obtained by open competition. With regard to the suggestion of the hon. Member that commercial and industrial exports should be chosen outside the service, I must point out that there is no more reason for doing this as regards Egypt than there is in the case of other industrial countries. The best we can do is to get men who have some commercial knowledge to enter for the Consular Service, to give thorn some training at the Board of Trade before beginning their duties abroad, and to encourage the study of commercial matters afterwards.
§ MR. C. E. PRICE (Edinburgh, Central)Have any of these Consuls employed in Egypt received any commerial training? Has not Germany several Consuls in Egypt having business qualifications?
§ SIR EDWARD GREYI am not aware of the particular qualifications of the German Consuls, but with regard to the whole Consular Service our effort is to encourage commercial training.