§ 4. Mr. ALBERYasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if commercial counsellors and commercial secretaries on the staff of British Embassies have equal facilities with the staff employed on the political side for promotion to the rank of Minister or Ambassador?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINNo, Sir. The two services are distinct, and the mode of entry, qualifications and functions are different. The appointment of a member of the Commercial Diplomatic Service to a Minister's poet is not precluded by the regulations, but it would require special circumstances to justify it.
§ Mr. ALBERYIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the commercial staffs of His Majesty's Embassies have a feeling that they are merely tolerated, and that this is not conducive to the welfare of the Service; and will he kindly look into that?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINI am not aware of that. This Service was established because it was thought that the qualifications required of the ordinary Diplomatic Service did not cover the ground required to be covered by members of the Commercial Diplomatic Service. The qualifications for the two Services are distinct, and the appointments are not interchangeable.