§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what guidance, other than the civil service pay and conditions of service code and the establishment officers' guide, his Department provides relating to civil servants' shareholdings; if he will list the number of occasions within the last five years on which civil servants have reported shareholdings to establishment officers in his Department; what regulations apply to the staff of the next steps agencies within his Department; what mechanisms are in place to prevent potential conflicts of interest; and if he will make a statement.
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§ Mr. GoodladThe conduct of staff in the diplomatic wing of the Foreign and Commonwealth office is governed by diplomatic service and home service regulations. The latter also apply to staff at Wilton park, the diplomatic wing's next steps agency. They require staff to disclose in writing to the Department's administration full details of any personal business interests which might conflict with the Department's interests or general principles of conduct. The diplomatic wing does not maintain a central record of staff who have reported shareholdings. The conduct of staff in the aid wing is governed by the code and guide. In addition staff rules are issued individually to all members of staff in the ODA headquarters and its next steps agency, the Natural Resources Institute. The rules require individual officers to consult the principal establishment officer about the desirability of acquiring and retaining any shareholding which might raise a question of possible conflict with the interests of the Department. No such conflicts of interest are recorded in the last five years.