§ Mr. WatersonTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of the recent review of the Wilton Park agency. [1897]
§ Mr. HanleyA prior options review has been carried out on Wilton Park, which has been an executive agency of the FCO since 1991. The review concludes that Wilton Park conferences organised on behalf of the FCO fulfil a valuable function, and that Wilton Park should continue to operate as a next steps agency. The review also makes recommendations for involving FCO geographical commands and departments more closely in Wilton Park conferences; for improving the marketing of the conferences among potential participants and for the market testing of the commercial—non-conference— operation at Wilton Park. The outcome of the review has been endorsed by Ministers, and action to implement it is in hand. A summary of the review's findings has been deposited in the Library of the House.