§ Mr. VazTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his Department's open day held on 15 October; how many visitors attended; and how many groups were represented. [58822]
§ Mr. FatchettThe FCO Open Day was, as last year, a great success. There was a total of 589 visitors, including 66 Parliamentary groups, 47 led by MPs. There was particular emphasis on the FCO's commitment to equal opportunities; the Under-Secretary of State for Education and Employment with responsibility for employment and equal opportunities, my hon. Friend the Member for Barking (Ms Hodge), presented the FCO with the "Two Ticks" certificate the FCO has won for its positive attitude to disabled people. The two half day sessions included visits to departments at work, video-conference links with British Embassies overseas and our Mission to the UN, and an exhibition by departments, staff associations and others. The feedback from visitors was very positive, with the video conference as the highlight for most visitors. The day demonstrated the openness of the FCO; we hope to repeat it next year.