§ Mr. Russellasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs why the cost of maintaining diplomatic establishments and public information services in Germany is so much higher than in most other countries.
§ Mr. TurtonThe disproportion is accounted for by the special conditions obtaining in Germany as a result of the occupation. As was explained in the White Paper commenting on the Seventh Report from the Select Committee on Estimates (Cmd. 9377), Her Majesty's Representative in Bonn has responsibilities which do not fall on a normal embassy, some of which will continue after the occupation ends, and these responsibilities inevitably affect the size of the diplomatic establishments.
It should be noted, moreover, that expenditure in the Estimates under the heading "Public Information Services" includes, in the case of Germany, the cost of cultural relations activities which in other countries are undertaken by the British Council. The Drogheda Committee of Inquiry into the Overseas Information Services, whose report was summarised in Command 9138, examined the public information services in Germany and found that in view of the special importance of Germany and of Anglo-German relations a substantial organisation should be maintained for a considerable period. Her Majesty's Government are in general agreement with these conclusions and recommendations.