§ 56. Dr. A. Thompsonasked the Lord Privy Seal whether he will make arrangements to allow officials in the commercial departments of the Foreign Office to be seconded for short periods to commercial and manufacturing firms and to trade unions.
§ Mr. P. ThomasYes. The benefits to be obtained by such attachments have been recognised for some time and the first attachment to a manufacturing firm has recently started. Another is planned for the autumn and further attachments will be made from time to time to firms willing to accept them, as the staffing position permits. Attachments to trade unions would seem to be less appropriate to the work of commercial officers.
§ 57. Dr. A. Thompsonasked the Lord Privy Seal whether he will make arrangements for Foreign Service officers serving in commercial posts to attend short business management courses at universities or other higher educational institutions.
§ Mr. P. ThomasNo. The present courses organised by the Board of Trade, in consultation with representatives of organised commerce and industry, provide the most practical means of training Foreign Service officers proceeding to commercial posts. Foreign Service officers have also attended the Administrative Staff College at Henley.
§ Dr. A. Thompsonasked the Lord Privy Seal whether he will consider drawing upon the experience of commercial and manufacturing firms and trade unions 11W by admitting specially seconded executives from these organisations to overseas commercial posts in the Foreign Service for short periods of temporary service.
§ Mr. HeathYes. There are advantages to the public service in appointing a certain number of suitably qualified persons from outside the Foreign Service to commercial posts in missions overseas.