§ Dr. A. Thompsonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what steps he is taking, in the light of the Plowden Committee investigations of Foreign Service recruitment, to increase the number of recruits from State schools and from universities other than Oxford and Cambridge.
§ Mr. R. A. ButlerThe proportion of recruits to the Foreign Service from these sources has risen in the past few years, and we shall continue our efforts to see that it rises further. I agree with the Plowden Committee's proposals to this end; in particular, on the need to develop closer contacts between the Service and university teaching staffs generally, and to encourage university graduates to compete for entry into the Executive as well as the Administrative Class of the Service.