HC Deb 22 January 1968 vol 757 cc4-5W
45. Mr. Bob Brown

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what facilities exist for enabling Foreign Service officers in mid-career to acquaint themselves fully with economic and social changes in Great Britain.

Mr. Mulley

Diplomatic Service officers are expected at all times to keep abreast of developments in this country. Periodical spells of Service in London, leave visits to the United Kingdom, tours on duty and training courses in this country, and the supply of newspapers, periodicals and other information to posts abroad are among the facilities which are provided to help them to do this.

78. Sir G. de Freitas

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, in considering overseas diplomatic expenditure, whether Her Majesty's Government will reduce staff engaged on political reporting outside Europe rather than staff at missions to European organisations or commercial staff at any high commission or embassy.

Mr. Mulley

The main emphasis of the work of the Diplomatic Service is already on commercial work and requirements for political reporting have for some time been reduced as far as possible. There is no intention of reducing staff engaged on commercial work. Immediately following devaluation instructions were sent to all Ambassadors and High Commissioners to adjust the work of their Mission in order to seize to the full the new opportunities for increasing British exports, including, where appropriate, by redeploying their staff to the task of export promotion from other duties. A continuing review of all establishments is maintained by the Diplomatic Service with a view to getting priorities right in these matters.

Mr. James Davidson

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what were the total numbers of civil servants employed by the Foreign Service, Diplomatic Service, and Consular Service, as appropriate, at the beginning of 1946, 1951, 1964 and at the latest available date.

Mr. George Brown

5,480, 4,926, 4,391 and, on the 1st of October 1967, 5,290 respectively. The last figure includes 2,669 staff for whom my right hon. Friend the Commonwealth Secretary and I have been jointly responsible since the formation of the Diplomatic Service on 1st January, 1965. These consist of staff working in joint Foreign Office/Commonwealth Office departments including the Diplomatic Service Administration Office and staff in training and transit.

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