§ Miss Emma NicholsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many staff 673W are employed at each British Council office; what changes have taken place in staffing levels since 1990; and if he will make a statement. [14471]
§ Mr. HanleyThe British Council currently employs 1,173 staff in the UK—excluding the Central Bureau for Educational Visits and Exchanges, CBEVE—and 4,985 staff overseas in 229 offices in 109 countries. The number of staff employed in each overseas office is not immediately available. I will, however, write to the hon. Lady giving the detailed figures.
Since 1990, the number of British Council staff working in the UK—excluding the CBEVE—has been reduced by 30 per cent. from 1,687 to 1,173. Over the same period, the number of British Council staff working overseas has increased by 13 per cent. from 4,390 to 4,985.
These changes reflect the fact that the council is now operating in 109 countries compared with 90 in 1990 and has over the same period implemented radical efficiency measures to reduce the number of its headquarters support staff.