asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can state, as regards European or Asiatic countries, respectively, the number of British subjects resident therein who are either foreign correspondents or young persons occupying supernumerary posts for limited periods in order to obtain experience and some knowledge of the country's language, or persons taking up work in the foreign branches of British firms?

Mr. LOCKER-LAMPSON:

I regret that it is not possible to give the desired information. There are no available statistics from which it could be compiled.

Seeing that we have information here, in the Ministry of Labour, as far as foreign nationals are concerned, would it not be an advantage if similar information could be obtained as to British subjects abroad?

Mr. LOCKER-LAMPSON:

We have a reciprocal arrangement with France, and, I think, we are making such an arrangement with one other country. The difficulty is that persons going abroad are not compelled to register, so that it is quite impossible to state what they are all doing.