Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many members of staff in his Department work on matters relating to Antarctica.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office's (FCO) Polar Regions Department leads for the Government on all Antarctic issues. Seven members of staff work in the Polar Regions Department. The Department also covers the Sub-Antarctic, Arctic policy coordination and the implementation of the Overseas Territories Blue Belt programme. Other FCO staff members will provide support on Antarctic issues as appropriate.