Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether there was a cost to the public purse for external legal advice relating to the departure of Lord Mandelson as (a) Ambassador and (b) from the Civil Service.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government has established processes to seek external legal advice in line with normal practice. The Government does not routinely comment on specific legal advice that it may or may not have received.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, at what monetary thresholds do exit payments to departing Ambassadors or Heads of Mission need to be approved by (a) the Accounting Officer and Permanent Secretary of FCDO and (b) the Chief Secretary to the Treasury; and whether they need to be published by name of the civil servant in departmental accounts.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The guidance governing the approval of such payments is publicly available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/public-sector-exit-payments-guidance-on-special-severance-payments.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, Pursuant to the answer of 25 November 2025, to Question 91404, on Embassies: Royal Mint, if he will publish the Note Verbale dated 4 May 2018 relating to the consent to the People's Republic of China for Royal Mint Court; and whether that Note Verbale was conditional on the Embassy obtaining the necessary planning and listed building permission.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government does not routinely publish Notes Verbales outside of legal proceedings, or comment on their contents, as they are regarded by international custom as private diplomatic correspondence and presumed confidential.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 26 November 2025 to Question 92373 on Lord Mandelson, what the normal HR processes are for Heads of Mission.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
They are the same processes that were in place when the Hon Member was in government.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will publish a copy of the model contract for Ambassadors and Heads of Mission.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office uses the Senior Civil Service template contract provided by the Cabinet Office as a basis for its contracts for Heads of Mission.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the Prime Minister’s Office was consulted on the terms of the exit agreement for Lord Mandelson.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer of 25 November to question 91398.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to Q260 of the oral evidence given by her Department's Permanent Secretary to the Foreign Affairs Committee on 3 November 2025, HC385, if he will publish Lord Mandelson’s form.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
As explained in the response to Question 91401 on 25 November, it has not been the policy under any government to publish the employment forms relating to individual members of staff.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, Further to Foreign Affairs Committee, Oral evidence: Work of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, HC 385, 3 November 2025, Q262, if he will list the mitigations used to avoid conflicts of interest on Lord Mandelson’s shareholding in Global Counsel.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 11 June 2025 to Question 57229. A copy of the standard Conflict of Interest Declaration Form will be deposited in the Library.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, further to Foreign Affairs Committee, Oral evidence: Work of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, HC 385, 3 November 2025, Q261, whether Lord Mandelson was asked to sell his shareholding in Global Counsel, or place the shareholding in a blind trust.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 11 June 2025 to Question 57229. A copy of the standard Conflict of Interest Declaration Form will be deposited in the Library.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, Further to Foreign Affairs Committee, Oral evidence: Work of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, HC 385, 3 November 2025, Q258, if he will place a copy of the standard conflict of interest form, and associated guidance, in the Library.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 11 June 2025 to Question 57229. A copy of the standard Conflict of Interest Declaration Form will be deposited in the Library.