Asked by: John Glen (Conservative - Salisbury)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 5 September 2024 to Question 2067 on Government Hospitality: Wines, what the (a) full name, (b) vintage and (c) cost was of each (i) wine and (ii) spirit that has been used for hospitality in Downing Street since the general election.
Answered by Catherine West
The Government Wine Cellar has not been used for hospitality at Downing Street since the general election.
Asked by: John Glen (Conservative - Salisbury)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 31 July 2024, to Question 1242, on USA: Diplomatic Service, what the process for the appointment of His Majesty’s Ambassador to the United States of America will be; and whether this process will involve open competition.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Heads of Mission roles are usually advertised across Government and open to serving Civil Servants. The process for the appointment of His Majesty's Ambassador to the United States of America will be determined in due course.
Asked by: John Glen (Conservative - Salisbury)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many people, other than special advisers, have been appointed to civil service posts in his Department without open competition since 4 July 2024; what their (a) job titles and (b) salary bands are; and on what basis each was appointed.
Answered by Catherine West
At the delegated grades, the table below shows we have appointed the following since 4 July 2024 to civil service posts in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office without open competition in line with the Civil Service Recruitment Principles [https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/02a_RECRUITMENT-PRINCIPLES-April-2018-FINAL-.pdf]. The exceptions we have used are:
Exception 1: Temporary Appointments
Exception 3: Secondments
Exception 5: Former Civil Servants
Exception 7: Transfers of staff from other public bodies
Exception | Band | Salary Band | Job title |
1 | AO | £26,500 | UKRI - Summer Intern 2024 |
1 | AO | £26,500 | Finance Payments Officer |
1 | AO | £26,500 | Credit Card Administrator |
1 | AO | £26,500 | Finance Payments Officer |
1 | AO | £26,500 | Consular Officer |
1 | AO | £26,500 | Consular Officer |
1 | AO | £26,500 | Consular Officer |
1 | AO | £26,500 | Consular Officer |
1 | AO | £26,500 | Consular Officer |
1 | AO | £26,500 | Consular Officer |
1 | AO | £26,500 | Pensions Administrator |
1 | EO | £28000 - £30,500 | Leonard Cheshire - Summer Intern 2024 |
1 | EO | £28000 - £30,500 | Leonard Cheshire - Summer Intern 2024 |
1 | EO | £28000 - £30,500 | Desk Officer Team 4, Diplomatic Missions Team |
1 | AO | £26,500 | Pensions Administrator |
7 | HEO | £34,500 - £40,000 | Auditor |
3 | Grade 7 | £53,000 - £62,000 | Senior research Fellow |
3 | Grade 7 | £53,000 - £62,000 | Research Fellow |
3 | G7 | £53,000 - £62,000 | Senior Research Fellow |
3 | G7 | £53,000 - £62,000 | Senior Research Fellow |
3 | G7 | £53,000 - £62,000 | Senior Humanitarian Policy Advisor |
3 | G7 | £53,000 - £62,000 | Senior Research Fellow |
3 | G7 | £53,000 - £62,000 | Senior Research Fellow |
3 | G7 | £53,000 - £62,000 | Senior Research Fellow |
3 | G7 | £53,000 - £62,000 | Senior Research Fellow |
3 | G7 | £53,000 - £62,000 | Senior Research Fellow |
3 | G7 | £53,000 - £62,000 | Senior Research Fellow |
3 | HEO | £34,500 - £40,000 | Security/Intelligence Analyst |
5 | G7 | £53,000 - £62,000 | Team Leader Indo Pacific Maritime Security, Engagement and Communications |
There have been no external appointments to SCS level civil service posts without open competition since 4 July 2024.
There has been no ministerial involvement in appointments to civil service posts in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office since 4 July 2024.
Asked by: John Glen (Conservative - Salisbury)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the implications for his policies of the recommendations of the Summary Report of the APPG on Afrikan reparations, published in October 2023.
Answered by Anneliese Dodds
Museums and galleries in England operate independently of the government. Decisions relating to the care and management of their collections are a matter for the trustees of each museum. The Arts Council published guidance in 2022 on the handling of restitution claims. The guidance sets out that, each claim should be considered on a case-by-case basis taking into consideration the individual circumstances, provenance, and historic and current contexts.
Asked by: John Glen (Conservative - Salisbury)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what (a) direct ministerial and (b) other public appointments to his Department and associated bodies have (i) been (A) removed from their posts and (B) asked to resign and (ii) made since 4 July 2024.
Answered by Catherine West
Part (i)
The FCDO does not routinely record and collect the reasons why appointees leave their positions, so is not in a position to answer this part of the question. Additionally, the reasons why an appointee has left their role is the appointee's personal information and identifiable and would elicit GDPR considerations.
Part (ii)
The FCDO routinely announces public appointments and direct ministerial appointments on gov.uk. Since 4 July 2024, the following appointments have been made and announced:
1. Jonathan Powell has been appointed by the Foreign Secretary as the Special Envoy for BIOT negotiations. [https://www.gov.uk/government/news/jonathan-powell-appointed-as-special-envoy-for-biot-negotiations]
2. Rachel Kyte has been appointed the UK's Special Representative for Climate. This appointment was made jointly by the Foreign Secretary and the Energy Secretary. [https://www.gov.uk/government/news/rachel-kyte-appointed-as-the-uks-special-representative-for-climate]
3. Professor Ngaire Woods has been appointed by the Foreign Secretary to lead a review of the UK's global impact. [https://www.gov.uk/government/news/foreign-secretary-launches-expert-reviews-to-strengthen-uks-global-impact-and-expertise]
4. Baroness Minouche Shafik has been appointed by the Foreign Secretary to lead a review on how to maximise the benefits of the FCDO joint integrated development diplomacy model in our development work. [https://www.gov.uk/government/news/foreign-secretary-launches-expert-reviews-to-strengthen-uks-global-impact-and-expertise]
5. Sir Martin Donnelly has been appointed by the Foreign Secretary to lead a review on our economic capability in diplomacy. [https://www.gov.uk/government/news/foreign-secretary-launches-expert-reviews-to-strengthen-uks-global-impact-and-expertise]
Asked by: John Glen (Conservative - Salisbury)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Joint statement on the Middle East, published on 12 August 2024, if he will publish a list of the allies of Iran.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Iran continues to proliferate advanced weaponry, alongside providing financial and political support to its proxies and partners including Lebanese Hizballah, Hamas, the Houthis and other groups in Iraq and Syria. Since 7 October, these groups have conducted hundreds of attacks on Israel, Counter-Daesh Coalition forces and commercial shipping in the Red Sea.
Furthermore, Iran's recent transfer of ballistic missiles to Russia, is a significant escalation of Iran's military support to Russia. It will prolong the war, and cause greater suffering to the Ukrainian people.
Asked by: John Glen (Conservative - Salisbury)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what his policy is on the use of (a) the G-GBNI A321 and (b) non-scheduled flights for official business.
Answered by Catherine West
The Foreign Secretary follows the Ministerial Code in relation to use of GBNI and non-scheduled flights for official business. This can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ministerial-code/ministerial-code#travel-by-ministers
Asked by: John Glen (Conservative - Salisbury)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the Attorney General on the International Court of Justice's warrant to arrest the Israeli Prime Minister.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign Secretary and the Attorney General speak regularly as fellow Cabinet ministers. The UK has received the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) Advisory Opinion on the 'Legal Consequences arising from the Policies and Practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem'. The UK is considering the Opinion carefully before responding. The UK respects the independence of the ICJ. The UK will await the final decision of the International Criminal Court's (ICC) Pre-Trial Chamber on the Prosecutor's application for arrest warrants. No warrants have been issued by the court. The UK respects the independence of the ICC.
Asked by: John Glen (Conservative - Salisbury)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the Prime Minister plans to use the Government Wine Cellar for functions at 10 Downing Street.
Answered by Catherine West
Decisions on the use of the Government Wine Cellar for official functions are made based on the requirements of each individual event.
Asked by: John Glen (Conservative - Salisbury)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if the Prime Minister will make it his policy to appoint a Minister with specific cross-Government responsibility for British citizens living overseas.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I am the Minister responsible for consular and crisis operations.