Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many government procurement cards were held by staff within (a) his core Department and (b) executive agencies of his Department at the end of calendar years (i) 2022 and (ii) 2023.

We are unable to provide data as at the end of the calendar years requested, but in mid-January 2023 and 2024 respectively:

• Core Department Government Procurement Cards (GPCs) held = i) 4,590 ii) 5,472
• Executive Agencies of department GPCs held = i) nil ii) nil

Government Procurement Cards provide an efficient route to enable key staff to procure goods and services, necessary to the promotion of British interests overseas and the maintenance of our embassies and high commissions. All purchases are subject to authorisation by managers and audit checks.