HC Deb 06 April 1970 vol 799 cc16-8
10. Mr. Judd

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will now make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's plans to implement the Duncan Report on overseas representation.

30. Mr. Moonman

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he now proposes to take on the Duncan Report; and if he will make a further statement.

Mr. George Thomson

As I told the House on 2nd February, the Duncan Report is looked upon by Her Majesty's Government as a set of general guidelines for the organisation of our overseas posts for the 1970s. On this basis an examination on the ground of each overseas post is now urgently being undertaken.—[Vol. 795, c. 15–16.]

Mr. Judd

I thank my right hon. Friend for that reply. Does he agree that it is high time that this unfortunate document, with its ill-conceived and provocative talk about outer areas, was finally completely dead and buried? Does he also agree that it is most unfortunate that, when this House has not come to a decision on this report, it should be held over the heads of various missions abroad as a threat to their future status?

Mr. Thomson

I cannot accept my hon. Friend's language about this report, which contains a great deal of very useful material. But I agree to the extent that the attempt to define our overseas operations in this area of concentration and missions outside that area of concentration was far too strictly drawn. It is for that reason that we are dealing with this matter on a post by post basis.

Mr. Moonman

I am grateful that my right hon. Friend has taken that view of the intolerance of the remarks of my hon. Friend the Member for Portsmouth, West (Mr. Judd). Will he, however, consider the possibility of utilising some of the operational improvements mentioned in the report, like management objectives and so on, because this does not need to wait until the 'seventies? We ought to introduce many of these things in the next six or seven months.

Mr. Thomson

I am obliged to my hon. Friend for putting the report in proper perspective. I agree that we should not allow our views about area concentration to obscure the real merit of the report as a whole.

Mr. A. Royle

As Chapter 11 of the Duncan Committee's Report covers the security of British representatives overseas, may I ask the Minister to tell the House what action he has taken to safeguard British diplomats overseas in view of the dreadful murder, which will be greeted with horror by all Members of the House, of the German Ambassador in Guatemala?

Mr. Thomson

I am sure that the whole House will share the views expressed by the hon. Gentleman about the sense of shock and horror at the out- rage. In the absence of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, I have sent a message to the German Foreign Minister today expressing our sympathy and extending our condolences.

Concerning our responsibility, we have in mind the personal safety of our diplomatic staffs.