HC Deb 05 March 1925 vol 181 cc675-6W
Mr. J. HUDSON

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how many members of the diplomatic service or of the administrative grade or grades of equivalent rank in the Foreign Office have been promoted from the second division or lower grades in His Majesty's Civil Service?

Mr. CHAMBERLAIN

There are in the Foreign Office three officers of a grade equivalent to the administrative grade who have been promoted from the second division.

Mr. RENNIE SMITH

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he has any information as to how many, if any, of His Majesty's Ambassadors, Ministers, councillors of embassies, or first secretaries received any part of their education in a public elementary school; and how many officials of the Foreign Office of administrative or corresponding rank received any part of their education in such a school?

Mr. HUDSON

also asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how many appointments have been made to the diplomatic service or to the administrative or equivalent grades of the Foreign Office since November, 1918; whether, in making such appointments, information was obtained as to the schools or colleges in which the applicants were educated; and, if so, whether such information shows that any, and. if so, how many of such candidates received any substantial part of their education in a public elementary school?

Mr. CHAMBERLAIN

The reply to the first part of the latter question is that 95 appointments of the nature referred to have been made. Of these, nine were from other Government services or from other grades in the Foreign Office. With regard to the second part of the same question, information as to establishments at which candidates were educated is, I believe, habitually obtained at the time of their examination by the Civil Service Commission, but I have not got it. I am informed that it would not always include full particulars as to the earlier phases of their education. As regards the last part of this question and the question asked by the hon. Member for Penistone (Mr. Rennie Smith), the information desired could not be obtained without an amount of inquiry and research which, apart from its rather inquisitorial character, I do not consider that the circumstances would justify.