THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
vii
increasingly a reason for people leaving", which is the "virtual inability for both spouses to follow full-time career". We were glad to note that the FCO is working hard on ways of helping spouses to pursue an independent career. While Sir Patrick's idea of including "some compensation for the loss of spouse carnings" was, as he admitted, still only "a gleam in the eye", we are certain that this is a problem which has both financial and social implications. and justifies continuing attention. The planned implementation of a register of spouses' experience and qualifications3 should have a valuable, if limited, result.
8. The trend on recruitment has shown a sharp falling-off in application levels from previous years. For example, the number of applicants for the Diplomatic Service "fast stream" was roughly half the level of previous years. We were glad to hear that the FCO recognises that is has to do more as the labour market tightens in the 1990s, with the number of school leavers forecast to decline by 28 per cent between 1987 and 1993.5 Greater flexibility on age limits. for the fast stream, and more use of reinstatement of former employees is already in operation. Other action such as more part time work, may be necessary."
9. The effects of the shortfall remain damaging. As we learnt last year, the shortages have caused an extra pressure of work on existing staff. While undesirable in itself, this also means that people cannot be spared for training, either in languages or in non-language skills. Compared with 1987–88, the FCO told us that they now had “a slightly bigger margin to play with", but there are "continued constraints on training". "Man-years of training delivered" has increased 24 per cent for language training, and 10 per cent for non-language training. We are glad to learn of these improvements but remain concerned that the efficiency of the Diplomatic Service is being reduced by the continuing staff shortfall.
Secondment Schemes
8
10. We sought further information on the use of secondments into and out of the Diplomatic Service. The FCO aims to expand its outside contacts with industry and the private sector. The total number of secondments is modest, with five inward and five outward secondments expected during 1989, continuing a trend that has been increasing slowly.9 We understand that companies find it difficult to release good people for secondment," and also realise that staffing pressures on the FCO just discussed must reduce the flexibility for finding candidates for outside secondments. However we strongly support the continuation and expansion of the secondment schemes, which enrich the experience that senior members of the diplomatic corps increasingly need in performing their duties. We intend to review progress on these schemes in the future.
Overseas Diplomatic Estate
11. This year we have examined a number of schemes for capital works on the Overseas Diplomatic Estate, for which the FCO took over direct responsibility from the Property Services Agency (PSA) in 1983. In its written replies to our questions on the PEWP, the FCO described its "continuous policy of estate rationalisation" under which it has "disposed of overscale and uneconomic properties where practicable, replaced expensive hirings with economic purchases where possible and made better use of latent assets","
12. We support the aims of this estate rationalisation policy, but believe that its implemen- tation should take account of two further factors:
(a) the role of a Residence as a symbol of British presence in a country, which requires a building of adequate presence and good location with generous internal space for entertaining.
'Q 90.
• QQ 90.97.
}
Q 96.
+ Q87.
4
QQ 86, 88.
6 Q 86.
* Q 104.
* Evidence. pp 35, 61.
"See Tables I and II, Evidence, pp 37-8.
QQ 100-3.
"Evidence, p 28.
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