asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many posts there are in the Diplomatic Service in grade 1 or drawing a higher salary than a grade 1 post apart from allowances; how many posts there are at a level intermediate between grade 1 and grade 2; and how many of these are based at home and how many overseas.

There are at present 15 posts in the Diplomatic Service in grade 1. Two of these are based in London, 13 overseas.There is one post with a salary level intermediate between grade 1 and grade 2. This is home based.