'File 8/42 Activities of the Development Division of the British Middle East Office' [‎70r] (139/144)

MIDDLE EAST OFFICE
(FUNCTIONS)
54. Mr. W. Fletcher asked the Secretary
of State for Foreign Affairs what are the
exact functions of the Middle East office
in Cairo ; and what personnel are em
ployed in that office.
Mr. Maybew: As the answer is long 1
will, with permission, circulate it in the
Official Report.
. Following is the answer:
The principal functions of the British
Middle East Office are, firstly, to report
upon events and issues, political, econo
mic, financial and social, affecting more
than one territory in the Middle East;
secondly, to develop and ensure the co
ordination of His Majesty’s economic,
financial and social policy in that area
and to make recommendations as to
action required.
The British Middle East Office con
sists of a Head (Sir J. M. Troutbeck,
K.C.M.G.) and a Deputy Head (Mr.
J. W. Wall), both of whom are senior
Foreign Service Officers, and of a
Development Division, together with a
small subordinate staff. The services of
the Middle East Representatives of the
Treasury, the Ministry of Fuel and
Power and the Ministry of Civil Avia
tion are also available to the Head of
the British Middle East Office.
The members of the Development
Division are available to advise Middle
East Governments on social and econo
mic development at their request, and in
the three years since the Division was
set up their services have been in
increasing demand.
The Division consists of highly quali
fied advisers on labour, health, forestry
and soil conservation, statistics, ento
mology, animal husbandry (this post is at
present vacant).
Examples of their work are: the
organisation of central statistical offices
for the Persian and Iraqi Government;
collaboration with the American con
sortium, Overseas Consultants, Incor
porated, in advising the Persian Govern
ment on the implementation of their
seven-year plan, with special reference to
agriculture, forestry and soil conserva
tion, anima 1 husbandry and statistics;
advice to the Middle East Governments
on measures to combat the desert and
Moroccan locusts; advice to the Middle
East Governments on the preparation of
labour legislation and trade union and
national insurance policy: assistance to
British companies in the Middle East who
are large employers of labour, such as
the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company and the
Iraq Petroleum Company, in the develop
ment ^of social welfare amenities, trade
co-operative societies, etc., and advice on
the application of local labour legislation
to their own labour problems; advice
to the Egyptian Government in the con
trol of their cholera epidemic in
1947-48; and assistance to various
Middle East Governments in the recruit
ment of British technical advisers.
Zim 1949