§ LORD O'NEILL OF THE MAINEMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have given consideration to the possibility of changing the name of the British representatives in the large Canadian cities from "Trade Commissioner to something more in keeping with their diplomatic duties.
§ THE MINISTER OF STATE, FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIE)No, my Lords. The Canadian Government do not accept diplomatic posts and titles outside the capital city.
§ LORD O'NEILL OF THE MAINEMy Lords, while thanking the noble Baroness for her reply, may I ask whether she is aware that this has been a problem over many years? I recall being in Vancouver some 12 years ago, when the British Trade Commissioner there was treated with less respect than the vice-consul of Panama. There is a tendency for people to believe that the Trade Commissioner is perhaps representing a British firm. It would be nice if the noble Baroness and her Department could look at this matter again and see whether, in some way, the British Trade Commissioner in an important place such as Toronto, with a population of two million, could be on a par with the American consul-general.
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIEMy Lords, I am sorry to hear of the noble Lord's experience in Vancouver. That has not been my experience in Vancouver or elsewhere in 1093 Canada. It was agreed at a conference of Commonwealth countries, held in London last year, that if a Commonwealth Government thought that consular titles were more suitable for outposts in the country concerned Her Majesty's Government would be happy to consider a request for a change.
§ LORD GARNERMy Lords, will the Minister agree that, whatever these problems may be, what really matters is not the title of the post but the calibre of the man who holds it and the way he performs his job?
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIEI quite agree, my Lords.
§ LORD BOOTHBYMy Lords, will the Minister also agree that the title of Consul-General carries much greater prestige and weight than that of Trade Commissioner?
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIEMy Lords, I do not know that I entirely agree with the noble Lord. The heads of our posts in the large Canadian cities other than Ottawa have a local title of "Senior British Trade Commissioner and Head of the British Government Office". I would entirely agree with the noble Lord who spoke previously, that what matters is the calibre of our representatives, in which we are very fortunate.
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, will the noble Baroness agree that most Commonwealth countries would prefer to keep to the title "High Commissioner" or "Commissioner" than move into the field of ambassadorial rank? Will the noble Baroness also agree that the Trade Commissioners, not only in Canada but throughout the Commonwealth, give very notable service on behalf of British industry? But would the noble Baroness undertake to have another look at the question of the big cities, like Toronto and other big cities within the Commonwealth, to see whether there could be some additions to the title "Trade Commissioner" merely for the sake of our own people, so that if they were visiting those territories and were in difficulties they would at least know that this was the representative of Her Majesty's Government?
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIEMy Lords, I quite agree with the noble Lord, Lord Shepherd, that our Trade Commissioners do an excellent job on behalf of this country; but so far as Canada is concerned we have not had a title other than "Trade Commissioner and Head of the British Government Office" since before the Second World War. But, as I think I indicated to the House, we said that if the Canadian Government, along with other Commonwealth Governments, consider that consular titles would be more appropriate for outposts in their country, then the Government will certainly sympathetically view a request for a change.
§ LORD BYERSMy Lords, is it not perhaps a mistake to describe Toronto as an outpost?
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIEYes, my Lords: it is a great commercial centre.
§ LORD SHACKLETONMy Lords, is it not a fact that in Australia they are called "Deputy High Commissioners", and is this not the appropriate term? We are all agreed that they do a very good job. It is not a matter of major importance, but it helps to have meaningful titles. In fact, would the noble Baroness agree that it might be reasonable to suggest "Deputy High Commissioner" in Canada, as in Australia? Personally, I should prefer not to call them Consul Generals.
§ BARONESS WHITEMy Lords, is the noble Baroness also aware that this is the case in India? Why, therefore, should it not be so in Canada?
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIEMy Lords, it is entirely within the responsibility of the Canadian Government to suggest to us what they would like, and we have said that we are very willing to consider any change. In answer to the noble Lord the Leader of the House—
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIE—Lord Shackleton, the former Leader of the House, with due apologies (no doubt I shall get the sack to-morrow)—I should like to say that I quite agree with his point of view, but 1095 it is really up to the Commonwealth country concerned to suggest any change they wish.