Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what proportion of (a) disabled and (b) all other staff in his Department reported experiencing bullying or harassment at work in the most recent Civil Service People Survey.

The Civil Service People Survey asks the question “Do you have any long-standing physical or mental health condition, illness, impairment or disability?” The survey does not include a question that specifically identifies disability status. In the 2014 People Survey, 20% of Foreign and Commonwealth Office respondents declaring a long-standing physical or mental health condition, illness, impairment or disability reported that they had personally experienced bullying or harassment at work in the past 12 months. 12% of Foreign and Commonwealth Office respondents declaring that they did not have a long-standing physical or mental health condition, illness, impairment or disability reported that they had personally experienced bullying or harassment at work in the past 12 months. The FCO acts on staff feedback from the People Survey as a priority, ensuring concerns are addressed by departments. We take any complaints of bullying, harassment and discrimination very seriously and have guidance and points of contact in place to listen to and respond to staff concerns. Staff with disabilities are supported by the FCO’s dedicated Disability Support Team, who provide advice, training and support to disabled colleagues and their line managers, and with our staff network work to raise disability awareness and confidence across the FCO.