§ 85. and 86. Mr. Bryant Godman Irvineasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will state the average difference between the education allowances for boarding education for children of members of the Foreign Service and Her Majesty's Overseas Civil Service, respectively, over each of the last nine years;
(2) what action he proposes to bring education allowances for members of Her Majesty's Overseas Civil Service up to the real value of 1961 allowances, since which date boarding school fees have risen by 200 per cent.
§ Mr. WoodThe Government is now reviewing the rates of education allowance for members of Her Majesty's Overseas Civil Service, among others. I am circulating in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table giving the information for the nine years 1961–70 for which my hon. Friend 25W has asked. Published statistics show that fees roughly doubled in those nine years.
COMPARISON OF EDUCATION ALLOWANCES FOR MEMBERS OF THE DIPLOMATIC SERVICE AND H.M.O.C.S., 1961–70 1961† 1962† 1963† 1964† 1965*† First child Diplomatic Service … … 175 175 175 352 386 H.M.O.C.S. … … 150 185 185 210 210 Difference … … 25 +10 +10 142 176 Second child Diplomatic Service … … 300 300 300 440 460 H.M.O.C.S. … … 175 225 225 255 255 Difference … … 125 75 75 185 205 Third child Diplomatic Service … … 400 400 400 440 460 H.M.O.C.S. … … 200 260 260 300 300 Difference … … 200 140 140 140 160 1966*† 1967*† 1968*† 1969*† 1970*† First child Diplomatic Service … … 415 445 470 498 N/A H.M.O.C.S. … … 235 250 265 282 306 Difference … … 180 195 205 216 — Second child Diplomatic Service … … 515 545 570 608 N/A H.M.O.C.S. … … 285 300 315 336 363 Difference … … 230 245 255 272 — Third child Diplomatic Service … … 515 545 570 608 N/A H.M.O.C.S. … … 335 355 375 402 435 Difference … … 180 190 195 206 — * Diplomatic Service allowances averaged. † Scales introduced for autumn term (1964 and 1965 Diplomatic Service scales from 1st April).