HC Deb 23 December 1976 vol 923 cc243-6W
Mr. Temple-Morris

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many administrative grade personnel at present serving in commercial departments abroad have had: (a) any practical industrial or commercial experience or (b) any period of employment in industry or commerce.

Mr. Tomlinson

On the basis of information readily available the number who have had significant experience or periods of employment of the kinds described is six.

Mr. Temple-Morris

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many people of any grade at present serving in commercial departments abroad have had: (a) any practical industrial or commercial experience or (b) any period of employment in industry or commerce.

Mr. Tomlinson

On the basis of information readily available the number who have had significant experience or periods of employment of the kinds described is 13.

Mr. Temple-Morris

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many people by grade serving at home have had: (a) any practical industrial or commercial experience or (b) any period of employment in industry or commerce.

Mr. Tomlinson

On the basis of in formation readily available the numbers who have had significant experience or periods of employment of the kinds described are:

Grade Number
2 1
3 4
4 7
5 15
6 6
7 1
9 1
10 1

116. Mr. Temple-Morris

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if any provision is made for administrative grade civil servants to receive commercial or industrial experience, and, if so, what provision; if any provision is made for employees of industry and commerce to be seconded for a period to Foreign and Commonwealth Office commercial departments: (a) at home and (b) abroad; and, if so, how many such people there are and where they are serving.

Mr. Tomlinson

At the establishment of the Diplomatic Service in 1965 the value of "cross fertilisation" between the Diplomatic Service and commerce and industry was recognised. Contact was made with a number of firms with a view to arranging secondments of Diplomatic Service officers to them and of their employees to the Diplomatic Service. Over the past 10 years, 15 outward attachments to industry and commerce have been arranged and five inward attachments from industry and commerce. At the moment there are no Diplomatic Service officers seconded to commerce or industry nor are there any employees from the private sector seconded to the Diplomatic Service. However, efforts continue to be made to arrange secondments in both directions.

All officers taking up commercial assignments in Her Majesty's Missions overseas attend training and/or briefing courses which include visits to firms in commerce and industry in this country. Arrangements are also made for officers in commercial jobs abroad to visit firms interested in the markets in the countries where the officers concerned are serving.

Mr. Temple-Morris

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the total staff by grade employed in the commercial departments of the following place at present, and what it was in 1957 and 1967: (a) Washington, (b) remainder of the USA, (c) Paris, (d) remainder of France, (e) Cairo, (f) Tehran, (g) Riyadh and (h) Caracas.

Mr. Tomlinson

The information is set out below:

1957 1967 1976
post U.K.-based staff Local staff U.K.-based staff Local staff U.K.-based staff Local staff
Washington 1 x DS3 1 x DS3 1 x DS3
1 x DS4 1 x DS4 1 x DS4
2 x DS5 2 x DS5 2 x DS5
1 x DS6 2 x DS7 2 x DS6
3 x DS7 1 x DS9
Totals 10 3 7 17 6 17
Rest of U.S.A. 1 x DS5 N/A 3 x DS4 3 x DS4
11 x DS6 4 x DS5 6 x DS5
2 x DS7 8 x DS6 7 x DS6
2 x DS9 4 xDS7 8 x DS7
2 x DS9 2 x DS9
1 x DS10
Totals 16 22 99 26 138
Paris 1 x DS3 1 x DS3 1 x DS3
1 X DS5 2 x DS4 3 x DS4
3 x DS7 1 x DS5 3 x DS5
3 x DS7 3 x DS7
2 x DS9 3 x DS9
I x DSIO
Totals 5 2 10 20 13 24
Rest of France 1 x DS7 N/A 2 x DS7 1 x DS4
1 x DS9 3 x DS6
Totals 2 2 11 4 18
Cairo Closed in 1957 Closed in 1967 1 x DS5
1 x DS7
1 x DS9
Totals 3 6
Tehran 1 x DS4 1 x DS4 1 x DS4
1 x DS5 1 x DS5 3 x DS5
1 x DS7 1 x DS7 1 x DS6
2 x DS9 2 x DS9 1 x DS7
1 x DS1O 2 x DS9
Totals 5 2 6 6 8 9
Rijadh No Post 1 x DS7
Jedda Closed in 1957 1 x DS5 1 x DS4
1 x DS7 1 x DS5
1 x DS9 2 x DS7
1 x DS10 1 x DS9
Totals 4 1 5 9
Caracas 1 x DS4 1 x DS4 1 x DS4
1 x DS6 1 x DS6 1 x DS6
1 x DS9 1 x DS9 1 x DS7
2 x DS10
Totals 5 1 3 4 3 10

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