Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what support his Department makes available to its staff working at lower grades overseas in red list countries to ensure that they do not face a disproportionate financial burden as a result of the requirement to self-isolate under covid-19 restrictions on returning to the UK on a resilience journey.

As approved by HMT, the FCDO has put measures in place to ensure that all staff posted overseas, including lower grades, do not suffer a disproportionate financial burden as a result of UK public health requirements to self-isolate on return to the UK. The FCDO covers the cost of pre-departure tests, and the mandatory testing on day 2 and 8 while in self-isolation. Accommodation costs cannot currently be met from public funds as per HMRC and HMT guidelines.