§ Sir A. Wilsonasked the Prime Minister whether he will state or circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT the terms of any circulars recently issued defining the position of the staff of the Foreign Office under the National Service scheme; and whether he will consider the desirability in the public interest of encouraging as large a proportion as possible of the Foreign Office staff to be trained for and to serve with embodied units of the armed Forces of the Crown and with local Defence services, and replacing them temporarily by retired civil servants with similar experience?
§ Mr. ButlerAt the time of the issue of the National Service guide the male staff of the Foreign Office under 25 years of age were notified that they would be permitted, if application were made by them, to volunteer for any of the Services set out on the National Service guide open to persons under that age. Any members of the Foreign Office who volunteered under these conditions would be released from service in the Foreign Office in an emergency. At the same time, members of the Diplomatic staff of the Foreign Office were notified that they would have to make it clear when volunteering that they would be obliged to resign from their units if they were posted abroad.
The modification of the Schedule of Reserved Occupations issued on 27th April 321W has necessarily affected this circular. The question is at present under review, and the considerations to which my hon. and gallant Friend refers will be borne carefully in mind. It will, however, be appreciated that the burden on the Foreign Office in the initial stages of an emergency will be a heavy one, and that any undue release of trained personnel would not be in the general interest.