Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Sherlock on 7 August (HL344), how many staff in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office are permitted to undertake diversity-related network time during core working hours; what is the percentage of overall working time they are permitted to spend on such network activity; how many hours are allocated in total; what are the names of each of the networks being funded; and what plans they have to (a) increase, or (b) reduce, such funding.

The FCDO has 17 Staff Networks which relate to protected characteristics defined in the 2010 Equality Act, related characteristics referenced in the Civil Service Diversity & Inclusion Strategy, and FCDO specific groups for topics experienced as a global organisation. Staff Networks provide valuable insight and help us to meet the Public Sector Equality Duties. Co-Chairs of FCDO Staff Networks are volunteers who are allowed to spend up to 10 per cent of their contracted time to serve in this capacity - we do not record the hours this translates to. A small discretionary budget is available for Staff Networks to support their work in line with the Civil Service guidance and value for money. There are no plans to change the number of FCDO Staff Networks or related funding.

The Staff Networks are as follows: Armed Forces, Uniformed Volunteers & Family Staff Network, Country Based Staff, Disability Inclusion and Awareness Network, FCDO Women, FCDO/Diplomatic Service Families Association Carers' Network, FLAG: FCDO LGBT+ Staff Association, Flexible Working Network, Home Civil Service International Staff Network, Mental Health, Wellbeing and Listening Network, Over Fifties Network, Parents' Support Network, Parents of children with disabilities Network, Race and Ethnicity Network, Religion and Belief Group, Social Mobility Network, Unaccompanied Staff Network and Young People and Early Professionals Network.