Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Civil Service headquarters occupancy data, updated on 1 June 2022, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of occupancy rates on his Department's performance during May 2023.

Like many other Civil Service departments, the FCDO is operating a hybrid working model requiring average office attendance of 40-60 percent - although many staff work in the office every day due to the nature of their work. Our hybrid approach is supported by a broader Smarter Working agenda to ensure our estate, IT, culture and working practices are set up to enable effective cross-site working. The FCDO does not use occupancy rates as a measure of productivity. The FCDO is committed to ensuring staff are supported to deliver effectively across all its UK locations.