HC Deb 29 November 1985 vol 87 cc704-5W
Mr. Speed

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to employ United Kingdom nationals on the staff at the British Embassy in Moscow; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Eggar

In so far as is possible we try and recruit the locally-engaged staff of the Moscow Embassy from within the expatriate community, including of course United Kingdom nationals. But the opportunities for so doing are strictly limited and the costs of employing ancillary staff on United Kingdom terms of service would be prohibitive.

Mr. Speed

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the reply of 20 November, Official Report, column 214, what enrolment procedures are applied to Soviet citizens working in the British Embassy or residing in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

Mr. Eggar

The Embassy has to apply for Soviet staff to the directorate for the servicing of the diplomatic corps—UPDK which is the sole source of Soviet employees for foreign diplomatic missions, foreign businesses and correspondents. The Embassy then interviews prospective employees and engages or rejects them as appropriate All locally-engaged Soviet employees of the Embassy are subject to a contract which conforms to local Soviet labour laws.

Mr. Speed

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 20 November, Official Report, column 214, if he will provide a breakdown of the categories of employment of the 79 Soviet staff employed in the British Embassy and resident in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

Mr. Eggar

The breakdown of the categories of the 79 Soviet staff employed in Her Majesty's Embassy, Moscow, is as follows:

  • Administration Section 50
  • Commercial Section 5
  • Consular Section 1
  • Cultural Section 1
  • Defence Section 5

A further 17 are employed in the houses of United Kingdom based staff.

Of these staff, 16 are employed as office workers, 30 as drivers, including the five employed by defence section, and the remainder as messengers, cleaners, works team labourers and domestic servants.