§ Mr. F. Willeyasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs which of the labour attachés appointed to His Majesty's embassies and legations abroad have had practical experience in the British trade union movement; and what official trade union offices they have held.
§ Mr. MayhewAll labour attachés at present serving at His Majesty's Missions abroad, with the exception of the labour attaché at Brussels, who is a regular member of His Majesty's Foreign Service, have been chosen from the permanent officials of the Ministry of Labour and National Service. As I explained in my reply to my hon. Friends the Members for West Middlesbrough, (Mr. Cooper), Chelmsford (Wing-Commander Millington), and East Middlesbrougn (Mr. A Edwards), on 19th May, all of those appointed have been carefully selected for their knowledge and experience not only of the British trade union movement but also of industrial relations arid social administration in general. So far as I know none of them have held any trade union office.
190WThe functions of a labour attaché are wider than is perhaps generally understood. Knowledge of the trade union movement and of its place in our social and industrial structure is, of course, essential, but it is far from being the only qualification. The work of a labour attaché varies according to the conditions in the country in which he is stationed. One of his general responsibilities, however, is to supply information on labour and industrial developments, including a wide variety of social activities This means maintaining close relations not only with trade unions and labour organisations but also with Government Departments and employers representatives, in order to ensure an intimate knowledge of current trends in the industrial field. At some posts the labour attaché may be called upon to advise a foreign Government on the framing of labour regulations. At others, he may tie required to undertake executive responsibilities in connection with Ministry of Labour activities abroad, e.g., the recruitment of foreign labour.
I think that the necessary qualifications for these exacting posts are most likely to be found among men from the Government service, who have first-hand knowledge of industrial conditions and social administration. All of our existing attachés have been chosen with these considerations in mind and my right hon Friend is well satisfied with the result