§ Mr. Loveridgeasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many non-British subjects are serving in full-time consular posts in local employment abroad; and how many of these are serving in appointments which could be filled by British subjects made redundant due to economies in the service.
§ Mr. TomlinsonThere are 45 locally engaged non-British subjects who are serving as full-time consular staff at posts abroad. In filling a vacancy, a Head of Post appoints the candidate who appears to be most suited to the duties. The nationality of a candidate is taken into consideration along with other 541W factors. The requirements for consular staff vary from place to place and it is not possible to say which posts might, if they became vacant, be filled by British subjects made redundant due to economies in the service.
§ Mr. Loveridgeasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British subjects who have served in the consular service for more than 10 years in local employment abroad are now without jobs; and how many of those unemployed through no fault of their own, and who have served longer than 10 years, have served as vice-consuls after promotion.
§ Mr. TomlinsonThe information is not available. A large number of British subjects have been employed as locally engaged consular staff and have served for more than 10 years. Many of them have left the service, for a variety of reasons. After leaving, they are under no obligation to keep in touch with their former post, and I do not know how many may have sought but failed to obtain other employment.