HC Deb 31 July 1998 vol 317 cc695-6W
Mrs. Gillan

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list his Department's staff on secondment to other Government departments and the periods they are spending on secondment. [54556]

Mr. Tony Lloyd

As of 1 July 1998, 97 employees at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office are on secondment to other government departments. These include:

  • Department of Trade and Industry
  • Cabinet Office
  • Ministry of Defence
  • Prime Minister's Office
  • Buckingham Palace
  • DFID (includes Aid posts in London and overseas)
  • St. James' Palace
  • HM Treasury
  • House of Lords
  • Northern Ireland Office
  • Department of Health.

The periods of secondment vary between 1 and 4 years.

Mrs. Gillan

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many people working for his Department have been seconded from other organisations; for what periods they will be seconded; and what areas they are working in. [54421]

Mr. Tony Lloyd

As of 1 July 1998, there are 270 people from other organisations working in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) servicing in London and at Diplomatic Posts overseas. The peri?ods of secondment vary from 2 to 4½ years, depending on where they are serving.

Officers seconded to the FCO work in the wide range of jobs. Overseas, these include jobs in Immigration, economic, agriculture and science and technology.