Asked by: Norman Lamb (Liberal Democrat - North Norfolk)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, who is responsible for digitisation in his Department; and what mechanisms the person with responsibility for digitisation uses to champion digitisation.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
GDS leads the Government's Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT) function, helping departments build and run services that are digital by default and focused on the needs of citizens.
The FCO makes use of digital, data and technology across its operations and diplomatic work. Examples include a small Digital Transformation Unit, which works with our consular technology teams on the delivery of modern, accessible online consular services, fulfilling the government's 'digital by default' commitment. The Department also has an Archives Management Team within the Knowledge and Technology Directorate who are responsible for the digitisation of public records in line with The National Archives' (TNA) requirements; and an Open Source Unit which leads on using open source data in policy making. To aid internal behavioural change, we established a Work Smarter campaign in January 2018, aimed at helping staff get the most out of digital technology, and we are working to set up the Digital Data and Technology Profession. A member of the FCO Board acts as the Champion for improving our release and use of data in all aspects of our work.
Asked by: Norman Lamb (Liberal Democrat - North Norfolk)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many meetings he had with his Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser from 1 June to 31 August 2019.
Answered by Heather Wheeler
The Foreign Secretary has not met with his Chief Scientific Adviser in the period 1 June to 31 August 2019. However, Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers’ have continued to have contact with the Department's Chief Scientific Adviser, and her office, during this period.
Asked by: Norman Lamb (Liberal Democrat - North Norfolk)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many meetings he held with his Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser between 1 March 2019 and 31 May 2019.
Answered by Mark Field
FCO Ministers offices have regular meetings with the Department's Chief Scientific Adviser, and her Deputy. I most recently met with the Chief Scientific Adviser on 16 October 2018.
Asked by: Norman Lamb (Liberal Democrat - North Norfolk)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many meetings he held with his Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser between 1 December 2018 and 28 February 2019.
Answered by Mark Field
FCO Minister's offices have regular meetings with the Department's Chief Scientific Adviser, and her Deputy. I most recently met with the Chief Scientific Adviser on 16 October 2018.
Asked by: Norman Lamb (Liberal Democrat - North Norfolk)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he plans to respond to the letter of 14 January 2019 from the right hon. Member for North Norfolk on the security of the UK’s communications infrastructure.
Answered by Mark Field
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport will issue a response on behalf of government shortly.
Asked by: Norman Lamb (Liberal Democrat - North Norfolk)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how much his Department spent on gifts for members of the Royal Family to disburse in each year since 2009.
Answered by Alan Duncan
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) pays for official gifts during Inward State Visits and for gifts from Members of the Royal Family when they travel on official overseas visits on behalf of the FCO.
We cannot give an exact amount of the costs of gifts, as our accounting system only shows the aggregated costs (for example accommodation, food, local transport together with gifts) for such visits.
Asked by: Norman Lamb (Liberal Democrat - North Norfolk)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many meetings he had with his Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser between 1 September and 30 November 2018.
Answered by Mark Field
FCO Ministers have regular meetings with the Department's Chief Scientific Adviser, and her Deputy, I most recently met with the Chief Scientific Advisor on 16 October 2018.
Asked by: Norman Lamb (Liberal Democrat - North Norfolk)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many meetings he had with his Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser between 1 January and 31 March 2018.
Answered by Mark Field
Neither the Foreign Secretary nor I had occasion to meet the Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser during the period 1 January to 31 March 2018.
Asked by: Norman Lamb (Liberal Democrat - North Norfolk)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many meetings he had with his Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser between October and December 2017.
Answered by Mark Field
FCO Ministers have regular meetings with the Department's Chief Scientific Adviser, and his Deputy, most recently on 30 January 2018.
Asked by: Norman Lamb (Liberal Democrat - North Norfolk)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many meetings (a) he and (b) Ministers of his Department have had with the Chief Scientific Adviser in his Department in the last three months.
Answered by Mark Field
Neither the Foreign Secretary nor I held meetings with the Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser over this period.