§ Mr. O. BALDWINasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether owing to the increasing democratic nature of Foreign Governments, he will consider the advisability of making alterations in the method of selecting candidates for the Diplomatic Service?
§ Mr. DALTONAdmission to the Foreign Office and Diplomatic Service, which together form a combined service, is by competitive examination amongst candidates who have previously appeared before a Board of Selection, whose function it is to decide which candidates possess suitable qualifications. This Board generally consists of the First Civil Service Commissioner, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Members of the House of Commons from both sides of the House, one other person of business experience or repute unconnected with the public service, and two members of the Foreign Office and Diplomatic Service. The examination is held concurrently with the examination for the administrative class of the Home Civil Service, Indian Civil Service, Eastern Cadetships and the Colonial Services, and covers the same subjects, the only difference being that certain modern languages are obligatory, and a high standard in French is required, in the case of candidates for the Foreign Office and Diplomatic Service.
The possession of a private income or allowance, which was formerly a necessary qualification for the Diplomatic Service, was abolished in 1919 in accordance with the recommendations of the Royal Commission of 1914 on the Civil Service. No proposals for altering these arrangements are at present under consideration.