33. Air Commodore Harveyasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs for a statement on the recent 25 per cent. cut in allowances for embassy staff in South America; and on the recent 50 per cent. increases for occasional visitors' allowances.
§ The Joint Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Anthony Nutting)There has not been a general cut of 25 per cent. in the allowances of embassy staffs in South America. The Foreign Service Inspectors made a routine inspection of diplomatic and consular posts in that area early this year, in the course of which the foreign allowances of the staff and the daily rates of subsistence allowance payable to occasional visitors were reviewed in the light of changes in the cost of living. At some places the foreign allowances were reduced, at others they were increased. Changes were also made in the rates of subsistence allowance.
Air Commodore HarveyDoes my hon. Friend realise that at least one member of the embassy staff in South Africa, with a wife and three children to maintain, has had his allowances cut by over £700 a year, and that the Foreign Office official who went out to look into this stayed at the best hotel and subsequently increased his allowance by 50 per cent.?
§ Mr. NuttingIf my hon. and gallant Friend will give me particulars of the case I will, of course, look into it, but I would say that these Foreign Service Inspectors do a very difficult job in a very remarkable, tactful and efficient way.
§ Mr. TeelingWas not a sliding-scale arranged a year or two ago in regard to the extra cost of living in different parts of the world?
§ Mr. NuttingThat, of course, is precisely the reason why certain allowances have been increased and others reduced. This has been due to the rise or fall, as the case may be, of the cost of living.