HC Deb 31 January 1991 vol 184 cc597-601W
Mr. Tom Clarke

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current shortfall in staffing levels in Foreign and Commonwealth offices overseas posts by grade; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

There is no such shortfall: it is our policy to fill all posts overseas.

Mr. Tom Clarke

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list for each of the last five years the number of secondments(a) into and (b) out of his Department; and if he will give details of which Departments were involved.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

Tables I to V contain details of inward and outward secondments between other Government Departments and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office over the last five years. Secondments between the Overseas Development Administration and diplomatic wings of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office are shown separately, as are secondments to the Cabinet Office.

In addition to exchanges with other Whitehall Departments, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has an interchange programme with the private sector. Details of these secondments over the last five years are contained in tables VI and VII.

Table I (Part a)
Number of DS Officers on loan from the FCO to the Home civil service at 31 December 1990
Receiving department Number
Treasury 1
MAFF 1
ECGD —
DTI 9
NIO 1
MOD 8
Office of Fair Trading 1

Receiving department Number
Law Officers Department 1
Cabinet Office 12
ODA 1
Home Office 1
Privy Council Office 1
Other 4
41

Table 1 (Part b)
Number of Home civil service Officers on loan to the FCO at 31 December 1990
Parent department Number
DTI 28
MAFF 11
MOD 23
Employment 5
Home Office 93
Treasury 7
DOE —
Northern Ireland CS 2
NIO 4
Scottish Office 1
CAA 1
Energy 1
Customs and Excise 11
ODA 23
Transport 3
Cabinet Office 1
Department of Health 2
216

Table II (Part a)
Number of DS Officers on loan to the Home civil service at 31 December 1989
Receiving department Number
Treasury 1
MAFF 1
ECGD 1
DTI 7
NIO 2
MOD 8
Office of Fair Trading 1
Law Officers Department 1
Cabinet Office 11
ODA 5
Other 1
39

Table II (Part b)
Number of home civil service officers on loan to the FCO at 31 December 1989
Parent department Number
DTI 26
MAFF 10
MOD 22
Employment 6
Home Office 70
Treasury 8
DOE 1
Northern Ireland CS 2
NIO 4
Scottish Office 1
CAA 1
Energy 1
Customs and Excise 9
ODA 26
Transport 3
Cabinet Office 1
Department of Health 2

Parent department Number
Total 193

Table III (Part a)
Number of DS officers on loan to the home civil service at 31 December 1988
Receiving department Number
ECGD 1
DTI 10
NIO 2
MOD 4
MPO 3
Office of Fair Trading 1
Law Officers Department 1
Cabinet Office 10
ODA 4
Home Office 1
Treasury 1
Total 38

Table III (Part b)
Number of home civil service officers on loan to the DS at 31 December 1988
Parent department Number
DTI 23
MAFF 11
MOD 22
Employment 8
Home Office 73
Treasury 6
DOE 1
Northern Ireland Civil
Service 3
NIO 4
Scottish Office 1
Civil Aviation Authority 2
Energy 2
Customs and Excise 10
ODA 23
Department of Transport 3
Cabinet Office 1
193

Table IV (Part a)
Number of DS officers on loan to the Home civil service at 31 December 1987
Receiving department Number
ECGD 1
DTI 9
NIO 1
MOD 4
MPO 4
Office of Fair Trading 2
Law Officers Department 1
Cabinet Office 11
ODA 4
Home Office 1
38

Table IV Part (b)
Number of Home Civil Service Officers on loan to the DS at 31 December 1987
Parent department Number
DTI 22
MAFF 11
MOD 21
Employment 8
Home Office 65

Parent department Number
Treasury 6
DOE 1
Northern Ireland Civil Service 4
NIO 3
Scottish Office 1
Civil Aviation Authority 2
Energy 3
Customs and Excise 10
ODA 22
Department of Transport 4
183

Table V Part (a)
Number of DS Officers on loan to the Home Civil Service at 31 December 1986
Receiving department Number
DTI 12
NIO 2
MOD 3
Energy 1
MPO 4
Office of Fair Trading 2
Law Officers Department 1
Home Office 2
Cabinet Office 13
ODA 5
Treasury 2
47

Table V (Part b)
Number of home civil service officers on loan to the DS at 3I December 1986
Parent department Number
DTI 23
MAFF 13
MOD 24
Employment 6
Home Office 31
Treasury 5
DOE 1
Northern Ireland Civil
Service 5
NIO 2
Scottish Office 1
Civil Aviation Authoroty 2
Energy 3
Customs and Excise 7
ODA 18
Department of Transport. 5
146

Table VI Diplomatic Service:Interchange with the private sector:

Secondments into the Diplomatic Service

Organisation

Starting during 1990

  • Barclays
  • British Gas
  • Bank of England
  • British Telecom
  • BNF

Starting during 1989

  • Nil

Starting during 1988

  • Jaguar
  • BP
  • Peat Marwick
    • 601
  • BNF
  • BDH Chemicals Ltd.

Starting during 1987

  • Bank of England
  • Shell
  • Barclays

Starting during 1986

  • Bank of England
  • BP
  • De La Rue
  • Deloitte, Haskins and Sells
  • Peat Marwick

Table VII

Interchange with the private sector:

Secondments from the Diplomatic Service

Organisation

Starting during 1990

  • Price Waterhouse
  • Barclays
  • Hongkong Bank
  • Starting during 1989
  • Northern Engineering Industries
  • London Chamber of Commerce
  • De La Rue
  • Hambros
  • Birmingham Chamber of Commerce
  • British Aerospace
  • Thorn EMI
  • British Gas
  • London Chamber of Commerce

Starting during 1988

  • Smiths Industries
  • Thorn Lighting
  • BBC
  • Shorts, Vosper Thornycroft, GKN

Starting during 1987

  • Rank Xerox
  • ICI

Starting during 1986

  • British Aerospace
  • Barclays