§ Mr. BaldryTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many commercial staff and at what grades his Department employs in(a) Kazakhstan, (b) Uzbekistan, (c) Turkmenistan, (d) Tajikistan and (e) Kyrgystan. [R] [126433]
§ Mr. BattleI have been asked to reply.
Commercial staff overseas are employed by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office as part of the unified FCO/DTI British Trade International operation. Staff in British Trade International's UK operation are primarily employed by the Department of Trade and Industry. We have no representation in Tajikistan or Kyrgystan. Details of commercial staffing in the other countries are (a) Kazakhstan—the equivalent of 2.68 staff (including a DTI officer on loan), (b) Uzbekistan—the equivalent of 2.65 staff and (c) Turkmenistan—the equivalent of 1.95 staff. The staff involved in commercial work vary in grades. These totals are a reflection of the total time spent by both UK based and locally engaged staff over a year. They reflect the combined efforts of several staff at each post on commercial work.