Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government in which UK embassies overseas staff are appointed at the request of (1) the Scottish government, (2) the Welsh government, and (3) the Northern Ireland Executive.

Officials from the Devolved Governments are based in various locations. They are commonly - but not always - based within the UK mission.

There are officials from all three Devolved Governments in Washington, Brussels and Beijing.

Scottish Government officials are also based in Berlin, Copenhagen, Dubin, Paris and Ottawa. Welsh Government officials are in Atlanta, Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, Montreal, Bangalore, New Delhi, Mumbai, Chonqing, Shanghai, Berlin, Dusseldorf, Dubai, Dublin, Doha, Paris and Tokyo.

Staff employed by devolved trade and investment promotion agencies - Invest Northern Ireland, and Scottish Development International - are located in over 20 and 30 locations respectively. Again, these are often based within the UK mission.

Officials are appointed by the sponsoring Devolved Government, or relevant agency.