HC Deb 18 July 1988 vol 137 cc457-9W
Mr. Wareing

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what body is responsible for recruitment into the administrative group of the Diplomatic Service; and what procedures are set for such recruitment.

Mrs. Chalker

The Civil Service commissioners are responsible for the recruitment to the administrative grades of the Diplomatic Service. The procedures are the same as for entry into "fast stream" posts in Home Civil Service. Applicants who pass an initial written qualifying test undergo a two-day series of tests, group exercises and interviews at the Civil Service selection board (CSSB). Candidates who perform sufficiently well at CSSB are invited to attend a final selection board (FSB), which is chaired by a Civil Service commissioner and normally includes one or more representatives of the Diplomatic Service. Candidates for the Diplomatic Service take a language aptitude test before attending the FSB.

Mr. Wareing

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects a graduate from a polytechnic to be recruited into the administrative group of the Diplomatic Service.

Mrs. Chalker

As soon as a graduate from a polytechnic is successful in the selection process undertaken by all candidates. The Civil Service commissioners and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office have gone to considerable lengths in recent years to encourage students in all institutions of higher education to apply for "fast stream" posts in both the Diplomatic Service and the Home Civil Service.

Mr. Wareing

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what qualities are expected from applicants recruited into the administrative group of the Diplomatic Service.

Mrs. Chalker

They are expected to combine good basic intellectual skills with strong personal qualities. Applicants must be adaptable and physically and mentally resilient; in the course of a career they will have to produce high quality work in conditions that may be unpleasant or dangerous. They should have the ability to communicate well both orally and in writing and show potential for assuming managerial responsibilities.

Mr. Wareing

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many members of the administrative group of the Diplomatic Service were serving in his Department in each of the years 1978 to 1987, inclusive.

Mrs. Chalker

The Department's computerised records do not distinguish between administrative and executive group staff in all cases. The approximate figures are as follows:

Number
1978 857
1979 847
1980 807
1981 789
1982 780
1983 776
1984 785
1985 781
1986 784
1987 779

Mr. Wareing

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what methods are used to make known the procedures for entrance into the administrative group of the Diplomatic Service and the designation and job descriptions of posts which become vacant in the service.

Mrs. Chalker

All Diplomatic Service entry competitions are advertised in the national press. Additionally, each year the Civil Service Commission sends all careers advisers in universities, polytechnics and colleges of higher education details of forthcoming schemes and copies of the competion regulations. These include details of the selection procedures involved. Each applicant for the competition is provided with a copy of these recruitment regulations. The procedures are also made known through a range of careers booklets and publicity distributed to universities and polytechnics by the Civil Service Commission and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and through briefing talks given to university and polytechnic students.

Lists of posts likely to fall vacant in a particular grade over a 12-month period are circulated annually to all Diplomatic Service mainstream grades up to grade 4. Officers are invited to fill in a form indicating their preferences. Details of specific jobs to which an officer might be considered and officers' career plans are discussed by officers and personnel managers.

Mr. Wareing

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many applicants for posts in the administrative group of the Diplomatic Service in each of the years 1985 to 1987, inclusive, were(a) male and (b) female; and what percentage in each case was successful.

Mrs. Chalker

The figures were:

Applicants Percentage successful
Year Male Female Male Female
1985 1,206 774 1.5 1.3
1986 1,220 859 1.4 1.3
1987 1,383 964 1.9 0.9

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