§ Mrs. Curtis-ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department is taking to encourage men and women with engineering qualifications to enter the Diplomatic Service. [86163]
§ Mr. Tony LloydThe FCO encourages a diverse range of candidates to apply to join the Diplomatic Service, so that the FCO is representative of the best of modern Britain. Applicants can have degrees in any discipline, so men and women with engineering degrees are encouraged 411W to apply. We aim to visit each UK University every 4 to 5 years, which brings us into contact with graduates studying the whole spectrum of subjects, including engineering.
§ Mrs. Curtis-ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many ambassadors are chartered engineers. [86162]
§ Mr. Tony LloydThe Senior Management Structure of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office includes one officer who has qualified as a Chartered Engineer. No current Ambassador has this qualification.