§ 4. Mr. DIXEYasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that there is considerable dissatisfaction in the Consular Service, particularly amongst the senior men, as to the limitation of promotion: and will he consider the opening up of certain diplomatic posts to some of these men?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINIt would not be possible to introduce promotion from the Consular Service into the Diplomatic Service as a regular practice without inflicting grave hardship on Members of the Diplomatic Service in which promotion is already slow. It must also be remembered that the functions of the two Services are in many respects quite dissimilar. I would, however, point out that there are at present four Ministers who are ex-members of the Consular Service, and another has quite recently retired.