§ 81. Sir C. YATEasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether, when the revised table of consular fees to be levied by British Consuls abroad is issued, he will at the same time issue a table showing the fees levied by Consuls of foreign countries in the United Kingdom?
§ Sir P. LLOYD-GREAMEI regret that I cannot undertake to issue such a table for the reason stated in the reply given by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade on 9th June.
§ Sir C. YATEIs it not advisable that we should have some comparison made between the fees charged by British and foreign consuls?
§ Mr. KILEYIs he aware that foreign consuls in London make no charge for certifying documents, and why should British consuls not be instructed to follow their example?
§ Sir P. LLOYD-GREAMEI cannot be expected to carry the details of all these consular practices in my head. If my hon. and gallant Friend will put a specific question perhaps he will put it on the Paper. With regard to the supplementary question put by the hon. Member (Mr. Kiley), I quite agree that there may be reasons why the consular fees should be revised, but what is suggested would involve an enormous elaborate table giving the fees of about 50 different countries.