§ 6. Sir H. Harrisonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many officials in his Department are, under regulations, entitled at public expense to first-class air travel tickets; and how many such tickets were issued in the last convenient 12 months.
§ Mr. Mulley174 officers in Grades 1–3 of the Diplomatic Service are so en titled. The facility is also extended to 344 officers of Grade 4 for air journeys lasting more than four hours.
During the 12 months ending September 1968, 265 single and 368 return tickets were issued to these officers and their dependants.
§ Sir H. HarrisonI am obliged to the Minister for that reply. Is not that a large number of civil servants entitled to the concession? Does the right hon. Gentleman agree that the prestige of this country would be better served if Members of Parliament called upon to go on official delegations of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and the Inter-Parliamentary Union were given first-class travel? If he agrees about that but does not want extra expense, will the right hon. Gentleman see the Chancellor of the Exchequer about cutting off a few of those he has named at the lowest level?
§ Mr. MulleyTravel arrangements for C.P.A. and I.P.U. delegations are largely matters for the organisations concerned, but I shall look into the question. Any change in the first-class travel entitlement 853 of civil servants would apply to the Home Civil Service as well as the Diplomatic Service and would require a change of regulations. This would be a matter for my right hon. and noble Friend the Lord Privy Seal. I should stress that most of the diplomats going on these journeys usually have to enter negotiations very soon after they arrive, and the advantage of being able to work on the journey is not inconsiderable.