THE EARL OF AIRLIEasked Her Majesty's Government how the numbers of those who are employed at the British Embassy in Paris at the present time compares with the numbers of those employed before 1939, and to ask whether the increase is characteristic of all Departments in the Diplomatic Service and in the Civil Service generally.
THE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (THE EARL OF GOSFORD)The number of staff employed by the Foreign Office at Her Majesty's Embassy at Paris at the present time is 130 as compared with 48 in 1938, an increase of 171 per cent. This increase is smaller than at most other important Embassies and smaller than the overall increase in Foreign Office staff overseas, which amounts to 184 per cent. as compared with an increase of 74 per cent. in the Civil Service generally.
577WADiplomatic relations are now maintained with 71 foreign countries as compared with 53 before the war and the development of international organisations (United Nations, N.A.T.O., Council of Europe, et cetera) has necessitated the establishment of permanent delegations to these organisations. The increase in Foreign Office staff in Her Majesty's 578WA Missions is mainly due to the assumption of new functions and responsibilities. For example, after the war information work abroad was taken over from the Ministry of Information and commercial work from the Department of Overseas Trade.
House adjourned at twenty-eight minutes past live o'clock.