HC Deb 14 April 1910 vol 16 cc1388-9
Major ARCHER-SHEE

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he could give the number of British Consuls-General, Consuls, and Vice-Consuls at present serving Abroad, stating in each class the number who were British citizens?

Sir E. GREY

The Consular Service is divided into two branches: the Salaried Service and the Unsalaried Service. The establishment of the Salaried Service on April 1st was: Consuls-General 50, Consuls 127, Vice-Consuls 117, Consular Assistants 81. A few posts may at any particular moment be vacant owing to the death or retirement of the holder. All the members of this Service of each class are necessarily British subjects. In the Unsalaried Service there are: Consuls-General 5, of whom 2 are British subjects; Consuls 61, of whom 40 are British subjects; Vice-Consuls 526, of whom 298 are British subjects.

Sir GILBERT PARKER

Would the right hon. Gentleman grant a return giving the names of the Consuls and Vice-Consuls, salaried and unsalaried, throughout the world?

Sir E. GREY

I should have thought the names of the salaried Consuls are to be found in the Estimates. I do not think that any object would be served by giving the whole list of names. I could give the proportion of foreign to British employed in the Unsalaried Service. The Salaried Service is entirely British.