§ Mr. Richard Pageasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the total number of his Department's commercial staff deployed in embassies overseas, from the latest available figures.
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§ Mr. RentonThere are 585 UK-based and senior locally engaged staff engaged wholly or mainly on commercial work in overseas posts. When taken with others who spend part of their time on commercial work, this gives a total effort of 571 man years. These staff are supported by about 600, mainly locally recruited, secretarial and clerical staff. In addition, heads of post spend a significant proportion of their time on commercial work.
§ Mr. Richard Pageasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the proportion of his Department's commercial staff to all staff; and how that proportion has changed over the last 20 years.
§ Mr. RentonOne third of Diplomatic Service and senior locally engaged manpower (excluding support staff) is committed to commercial work. There are no comparable records for 20 years ago.
§ Mr. Richard Pageasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if there are any plans to increase the percentage of his Department's commercial staff in embassies overseas.
§ Mr. RentonThe number of staff engaged in commercial work in overseas posts is kept under constant review and adjusted in light of changes in requirements.
§ Mr. Richard Pageasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the procedure for training his Deprtment's commercial staff.
§ Mr. RentonAll officers selected for commercial work undergo an intensive five-week course, to which many private firms and organisations contribute. Each officer then undertakes an individual programme of visits to interested firms. Similar, but shorter, arrangements apply to locally engaged staff. Commercial officers are occasionally brought to London for briefing on specific industries.