Asked by: Angela Rayner (Labour - Ashton-under-Lyne)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the findings were of Civil Service People Surveys undertaken between July 2019 to September 2021 for staff working in the private offices of Ministers in his Department.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The People Survey is an annual survey that all Civil Servants have the opportunity to participate in. It provides us with valuable insights into the experiences and thoughts of our staff, and therefore has strict controls to protect the anonymity of respondents. As part of these controls, we do not release data for sub-teams that have a small number of staff - this prevents individual staff members from being identified by their responses. FCDO's overall scores for the survey has been published and can be found here: Civil Service people surveys - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/civil-service-people-surveys#full-publication-update-history
Asked by: Angela Rayner (Labour - Ashton-under-Lyne)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many staff worked for his Department in September 2021.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office headcount on 30 September 2021 was 7242.
Asked by: Angela Rayner (Labour - Ashton-under-Lyne)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many staff are employed at Chevening.
Answered by Vicky Ford
Chevening House is managed by an independent trust. The number of staff employed is a matter for the trustees.
Asked by: Angela Rayner (Labour - Ashton-under-Lyne)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much her Department spent on (a) focus groups and (b) polling services in 2021.
Answered by Vicky Ford
The information requested could only be provided at a disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Angela Rayner (Labour - Ashton-under-Lyne)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will publish the transparency data relating to Guests to Chevening for the last three years.
Answered by Vicky Ford
Chevening House is managed by independent trustees. Information about overnight stays by Ministers is not collected centrally.
Asked by: Angela Rayner (Labour - Ashton-under-Lyne)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the total cost to the public purse was of the use of the Government Airbus A321 for her visit to Australia between 18 and 23 January 2022.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
In accordance with the Ministerial Code the FCDO publishes the costs related to an overseas visit made by the Foreign Secretary as part of the Quarterly Transparency Return https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/minister-data#2020.
Asked by: Angela Rayner (Labour - Ashton-under-Lyne)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent steps the Government has taken to advance peace talks in Israel and the Palestinian territories.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
The UK is clear that the best way to achieve a two-state solution is through negotiations between the Israeli Government and the Palestinian Authority. However, there must be an environment conducive to peace, and we are therefore urging all parties to de-escalate current tensions.
On 9 October, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) spoke to President Abbas and urged him to do everything in his power to reduce tensions and restore calm. Officials at our Embassy in Tel Aviv discuss the situation frequently with Israeli officials. Most recently, on 19 November, our Ambassador to Tel Aviv discussed the ongoing violence with Gilad Erdan, the Israeli Minister for Strategic Affairs, Public Security and Information.
Asked by: Angela Rayner (Labour - Ashton-under-Lyne)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received on progress by the Burundian government on establishing a truth commission.
Answered by Grant Shapps - Secretary of State for Defence
The Burundian government first submitted the Truth and Reconciliation Law to Parliament in December 2012 before announcing the appointment of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission on 3 December 2014. It has not reported further since then. We understand that opposition parties boycotted the process over the remit of the Commission, calling into question its ability to establish the truth and bring reconciliation. The UK Government believes that the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, guided by the Arusha Agreement signed in the aftermath of Burundi’s civil war, has an important role in ensuring long-term reconciliation. The illegitimate elections and continued violence show that the principles of inclusion set out in the Arusha Agreement are needed now more than ever and we continue to urge all in Burundi to uphold them.Asked by: Angela Rayner (Labour - Ashton-under-Lyne)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received on progress made by the Burundian government on the commitments made in UN Security Council resolution 1606.
Answered by Grant Shapps - Secretary of State for Defence
UN Security Council Resolution 1606 reaffirmed support for the Arusha Peace Agreement and began the process for establishing a truth commission and special chamber within Burundi’s court system to ensure reconciliation and bring to justice those responsible for crimes against humanity and war crimes. Progress by the Burundian government has been extremely slow with the Truth and Reconciliation Law only submitted to Parliament in December 2012 and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission appointed in December 2014. More recently, the Burundian government has refused to engage with the UN and has refused the appointment of a UN Special Envoy to Burundi. The UK Government continues to voice concerns over the delay given the links between impunity and instability in Burundi.