§ 38. Viscount Hinchingbrookeasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what proposals are under consideration to extend facilities to Commonwealth candidates desiring to join the United Kingdom Foreign Service to enable them to compete on more equal terms with candidates at home; whether it is intended to enlarge the scheme of exchange and secondment of members of the Commonwealth Foreign Services with the United Kingdom Foreign Service; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MayhewThere is nothing in existing regulations to prevent young men and women from Commonwealth countries from competing for the United Kingdom Foreign Service on equal terms with candidates at home, and we are considering ways and means of extending facilities for such candidates. However, some 1683 Commonwealth countries now recruit candidates for their own Foreign Services, and we should not wish to attract applications in competition with them. The question of the exchange of members of the United Kingdom Foreign Service and those of Commonwealth countries depends on agreement with Commonwealth Governments. My right hon. Friend will lose no opportunity of promoting such exchanges.