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 severance payments to heads of mission are exempt from Income Tax.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Payments made by the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office are subject to the same HMRC tax rules as any other organisation, as set out here: https://www.gov.uk/termination-payments-and-tax-when-you-leave-a-job.
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 22 September 2025, to Question 76278, Lord Mandelson, what (a) vetting and (b) due diligence was carried out prior to the public announcement of the appointment of Lord Mandelson, and by whom.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 17 October to to Question 76245.
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 the Answer of 20 October 2025 to Question HL10734 on USA: Diplomatic Service, whether the ongoing work involved expenditure whilst Lord Mandelson was Ambassador.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Refurbishment work at our Embassy in Washington DC began in June 2019. The majority of work was completed in 2023, with limited aspects ongoing.
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 11 September 2025 to Question 74189 on Chinese Embassy, if he will publish (a) that reply and (b) any subsequent correspondence.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
It is for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to decide what documentation to publish as part of that process.
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 22 January 2025, to Question 23786, on Chinese Embassy: Planning Permission, if he will publish the (a) minutes and (b) meeting notes for the meetings attended by FCDO officials 4 July 2024.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
It is for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to decide what documentation to publish as part of that process.
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, what guidance her Department has issued on recognising premises as a diplomatic mission of a foreign government.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The process of applying for Diplomatic and Consular Status for Official Mission Premises is set out in Section 1(1) of the Diplomatic and Consular Premises Act 1987 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1987/46). Diplomatic missions are required to obtain the consent of the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs for land to be regarded as diplomatic or consular premises.
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 9 September 2025 to Question 73317 on Diplomatic Service: Pay, whether Lord Mandelson is still being paid as a civil servant following his withdrawal as Head of Mission.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Lord Mandelson's withdrawal is undergoing normal HR processes.
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 11 June 2025 to Question 57228 on Diplomatic Service: Public Appointments, whether the British Ambassador to the United States' Developed Vetting was undertaken by (a) the Cabinet Office, (b) United Kingdom Security Vetting, (c) his Department and (d) an independent body.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
All national security vetting is delivered by United Kingdom Security Vetting (UKSV).
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, what due diligence was undertaken for the appointment of the UK ambassador to the US.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Normal pre-employment processes, including vetting, are routinely carried out prior to all senior civil service appointments.
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 Benjamin Wegg-Prosser visited the US Embassy in Washington during the tenure of Lord Mandelson.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
It is a long-standing practice of successive governments not to comment on private meetings.