Asked by: Phillip Lee (Liberal Democrat - Bracknell)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government has taken since 2010 to increase British influence around the world.
Answered by David Lidington
Despite this very tight spending environment, the Government has since 2010 opened nine new diplomatic missions in emerging countries and the fastest growing economies and upgraded a further 6 posts. We have opened an FCO language centre to support over 600 speakers slots worldwide and a Diplomatic Academy. And we have shaped the international agenda including through ground-breaking conferences on PSVI, cyber-security and Somalia.