§ Mr. Norman Lamontasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the amounts paid per head at the Embassy in Paris at Ambassador, Minister and First Secretary levels, on salary and allowances, including boarding school allowances but excluding entertainment allowances; and whether he will adjust these
Spring term 1976 Summer term 1976 From Autumn term 1976 £ p.a. £ p.a. £ p.a. Boys' senior schools … … … 1,293 1,404 1,473 Girls' senior schools … … … 1,241 1,348 1,414 Boys' preparatory schools … … … 1,164 1,264 1,325 Girls' preparatory schools … … … 1,117 1,213 1,272
§ Mr. Norman Lamontasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the total amount paid in educational allowances for the children of diplomats for the last financial year; and how this compares with the previous three years.
736Wtotal amounts to what they would represent in gross income terms if the nontaxable allowances were taxable.
§ Mr. LuardThe following table shows the annual amounts currently paid per head at the British Embassy in Paris at the levels indicated:
salary Allowances (including boarding school allowance but excluding entertainment)† £ £ Ambassador … 18,675 35,932 Minister* … 12,465 15,921 First Secretary* … 6,447 9,183 *Average amounts in payment to staff at these levels. † The figures exclude the direct cost of food and drink for official entertainment, but include substantial elements in respect of indirect representational expenditure. The question of what the allowances shown in Column (2) would represent in gross income terms is hypothetical. The calculation would depend on the tax code of each individual. I regret that figures are, therefore, not available.
§ Mr. Norman Lamontasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what increases in educational allowances for the children of diplomats have been made in the last 12 months, or are planned for the current year; and if he will publish a table showing the present and proposed values of the allowances.
§ Mr. LuardThe maximum rates of boarding school allowance per child for which members of the Diplomatic Service have been eligible over the last 12 months are set out in the following table. No decision has been taken to adjust the rates further.
§ Mr. LuardThe information requested is set out in the following table, which shows the total amounts paid to members of the Diplomatic Service in the financial year in question both in boarding school allowance and in financial assistance towards day school fees for children 737W accompanying their parents overseas. The figures quoted for boarding school allowance for the financial year 1972–73 and
Financial year Boarding school allowance £ Day school fees overseas £ Total £ 1975–76 … … … … … 3,135,401 393,619 3,529,020 1974–75 … … … … … 2,025,875 334,595 2,360,470 1973–74 … … … … … 1,677,000* 245,896 1,922,896 1972–73 … … … … … 1,549,769* Not available — *Estimated.
§ Mr. Norman Lamontasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the value per head of total remuneration, including entertainment, educational and all other allowances, paid in the last financial year at Ambassador, Minister and First Secretary levels at the Bonn, Paris and Rome Embassies.
§ Mr. LuardThe following table shows the amounts paid per head in the financial year 1975–76 at the levels and embassies indicated:
Salary £ Allowances £ Bonn Ambassador … 18,675 27,644 Minister* … 12,451 18,115 First Secretary* … 6,433 6,095 Paris Ambassador … 18,675 55,698 Minister* … 12,451 18,829 First Secretary* … 6,433 9,811 Rome Ambassador … 18,675 17,749 Minister … 12,451 14,256 First Secretary* … 6,433 7,062 *Average amounts paid to staff at these levels
§ Mr. Norman Lamontasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what grades of diplomat travel first class on aeroplanes; and whether the rules vary according to the journey being made.
§ Mr. LuardThe rules for class of air travel by Diplomatic Service staff, which are the same as those for other civil servants, are as follows. Staff in grade 3 and above—equivalent to Home Civil Service grades of Under-Secretary and above—may travel first class by air on duty. Staff in grade 4—equivalent to Assistant Secretary in the Home Civil
738W1973–74 are only estimated. I regret that the figure for payment of day school fees overseas in 1972–73 is not available.
Service—may travel first class by air on journeys of more than four hours' continuous flying time. Other staff normally travel economy class, though they may be authorised to travel first class in exceptional circumstances—for instance, when accompanying a Minister.
§ Mr. Norman Lamontasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he is satisfied by the progress being made to economise on entertainment expenses in British embassies; and if he will give details.
§ Mr. LuardYes. All entertainment allowances were reduced by 10 per cent. at the start of the current financial year. Expenditure on the celebration of Her Majesty the Queen's Birthday overseas has been reduced by 50 per cent. in sterling terms. An internal review of entertainment procedures was conducted in the summer of 1976. Some consequent changes of procedure are about to be brought into effect, and should result in further small savings to public funds.
§ Mr. Norman Lamontasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps have been taken in the last 12 months in the Diplomatic Service to economise on air travel and fares; and if he will give details.
§ Mr. LuardTravel by members of the Diplomatic Service has always been subject to rigorous control. During the last 12 months, those responsible for approving journeys have been instructed to apply the strictest possible criterion of necessity to any authorisation. Particular attention has been paid to keeping down the cost of individual journeys, subject to the entitlements regarding class of air travel which remain as described in answer to another Question by the hon. Member.