DIPLOMATIC POSTS OVERSEAS (EXPENSES)

HC Deb 03 May 1965 vol 711 cc905-7

18. Mr. Wingfield Digby

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what steps he is taking to economise on the expenses of embassies and legations overseas to help curtail Government spending overseas.

Mr. George Thomson

The expenses of all diplomatic posts overseas are regularly examined by visiting members of a trained corps of inspectors who are under standing instructions to look for and recommend all possible economies.

Mr. Digby

As the Government have already decided to curb overseas investment, some of which would redound to the credit of this country in the future, is it not for the Government to set an example and cut their own overseas expenditure?

Mr. Thomson

Questions about overseas investment are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, but I assure the hon. Gentleman that expenditure on entertainment and the expenses of embassies is very carefully accounted for and scrutinised and is used to further the aims of British foreign policy overseas.

Sir C. Mott-Radclyffe

Accepting, of course, the requirement for control of overseas expenditure, will the hon. Gentleman confirm that it is still the Government's policy to implement in full the recommendations of the Plowden Committee on the overseas representation service?

Mr. Thomson

If the hon. Gentleman has any points in mind about the recommendations of the Plowden Committee, I should be glad to try to answer them. In general, the Government's policy is to implement the Plowden Report.

Mr. Grimond

Is the Minister aware that practically every mission overseas is an embassy, and is he satisfied that there has not been an undue escalation of staff owing to this custom? Second, have the people who have been looking into economies at our embassies and legations had any success? Have our expenses in these matters increased or decreased?

Mr. Thomson

The size and composition of staff at overseas embassies are kept under constant review and efforts are made to bring about reductions where appropriate, just as one has to face an increase of staff as circumstances change.