§ 50. Mr. Nigel Birchasked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what proportion of the officers of the Control Commission for Germany are classed as talking fluent German.
§ Mr. J. HyndNo statistics are available. No German language test is applied to those appointed to the Commission (apart from interpreters) although in recruiting staff for the British element of the Control Commission the ability of applicants to speak German is taken into consideration. Many of the staff of the Commission possess or are acquiring knowledge of German, and fluent German speakers are available for posts where this is necessary.
§ Mr. BirchDoes the hon. Gentleman think that the President of the Board of Trade would engage officials in this country without asking them if they knew English?
§ 51. Mr. Birchasked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what reduction in the staff of the Control Commission for Germany has resulted from the integration of the British zone with the United States zone.
§ 58. Mr. A. Edward Daviesasked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what are the estimated reductions and adjustments achieved and anticipated, in the British Control Commission staff consequent upon the merging of the British and American zones in Germany.
§ Mr. J. HyndPlans for the reduction of the staff of the British element of the Control Commission, particularly in the economic fields, are being prepared, and this will be assisted by the integration of the British and American zones. I am sorry it is not possible at this stage to give figures.
§ Mr. HarrisIs it the case that arrangements are contemplated in the Russian zone that would enable still further reductions to be effected?
§ Mr. DaviesMay we not expect an appreciable reduction if there is further integration? Is not the Minister aware that there is criticism of our administration on the ground that much of the work is dual government, and could be done by the Germans themselves? Is he aware that the Estimates Committee said we should aim at getting quality rather than quantity?
§ Mr. HyndI am, of course, aware of all these factors, which are amongst the reasons why these plans are being prepared for drastic reductions in staff.
§ Mr. W. ShepherdIs it not the fact that, apart from the integration, plans for a reduction in personnel were actually in hand in May of this year? Will the Minister say what has happened?
§ Mr. HyndIt is true that plans for the reduction of staff have been made before and have been carried out. We are now visualising still further reductions.
§ Major BramallWill the hon. Gentleman bear in mind, in spite of the necessity to reduce staffs, the need to distinguish between the political and economic integration of the two zones, in view of the different political conceptions between ourselves and the other administrators of Germany?
§ 60. Major Bramallasked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether in view of the importance of the development of a democratic trade union movement in Germany, he intends to appoint a person actively sympathetic to trade unions to a senior position in the Manpower Division of the Control Commission.
§ Mr. J. HyndYes, Sir.