§ Mr. Tugendhatasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what sums of money have been, and will be, spent in the present financial year and were spent in each of the last four financial years on the acquisition or renting of premises abroad for the use of Her Majesty's diplomatic missions; what proportion was for residential accommodation and what for the conduct of business; and which cities were involved.
319W
§ Mr. EnnalsThe Foreign and Commonwealth Office is responsible for payment of the rent of residential accommodation of United Kingdom-based staff serving in 212 posts in 145 overseas countries who do not occupy accommodation owned or leased by the Property Services Agency, and for the rent of office premises used by 41 honorary consuls.
The Property Services Agency is responsible for all purchases of property, long-term leases of residential property and for providing office premises other than those occupied by honorary consuls.
The total amount of rent which has been borne by the Diplomatic Service Vote during the current financial year is £4.2 million, of which 0.28 per cent. is for honorary consular premises. It is estimated that a further sum of £3.4 million will be spent this year, of which 0.23 per cent. will be on honorary consulates. The respective figures for the past four years are shown below:
Totals £ million Percentage on Honorary Consulates 1971–72 4.3 0.26 1972–73 4.5 0.36 1973–74 5.2 0.32 1974–75 6.2 0.30
§ Mr. Tugendhatasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what he estimates to be the cost to public funds in the current year and in each of the preceding four financial years of Her Majesty's missions overseas; and what proportion of the amounts is accounted for by residential accommodation.
§ Mr. EnnalsThe costs of Her Majesty's missions overseas borne by the Diplomatic and Consular Services Vote for the current and each of the preceding four financial years are estimated to be as follows:
£ million 1975–76 78.5 1974–75 66.2 1973–74 50.7 1972–73 47.7 1971–72 44.8 These figures exclude the costs of specialist staff borne on the Votes of other Departments.
The proportion of the above amounts attributable to residential accommodation 320W varied during the period between 9.4 per cent. and 10.3 per cent. However, the costs of office premises, apart from those occupied by some honorory consular officers, and of other residential accommodation, e.g. purchases and long-term hirings, are borne on the Overseas Accommodation Services Vote accounted for by the Department of the Environment.