§ 3. Mr. D. G. SOMERVILLEasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the number of members of the Consular Service who have had business training and the proportion to the whole number?
§ Mr. GILLETTI regret that I have not sufficient data on which to base a reply.
§ Mr. SOMERVILLEWould it not be worth while to insist on having business men to handle business?
§ Mr. GILLETTI hardly think it would. The hon. Member is aware that the Consular Services are being recruited from young men who come in by examination.
§ 4. Mr. SOMERVILLEasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the number of British Vice-Consuls who are not British subjects and their proportion to the whole number?
§ Mr. GILLETTThere are 377 salaried consular officers, all of whom are of British nationality, and there are 521 unsalaried consular officers, of whom 376 are British subjects.
§ Mr. SOMERVILLEWould it not be possible to replace foreign subjects by British subjects?
§ Mr. GILLETTWe are always careful before a new appointment is made to make certain that no British subject is available.
§ Mr. SOMERVILLEAre these posts advertised?
§ Mr. GILLETTI must ask for notice of that question.