Every parliamentary written question tabled by Mike Wood this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 81–100 of 128 · Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
Commonwealth and Development, pursuant to the Answer of 13 October 2025 to Question 77563 on Palantir, whether the visit to Palantir was arranged through Global Counsel; and whether Lord Mandelson was involved in arranging that visit.
Officials from our Embassy in Washington arranged this trip in the normal way.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 16 September 2025 to Question 74773 on Civil Servants: Resignations, whether any civil servants have resigned in response to the letter from the Permanent Under-Secretaries.
It is the longstanding policy of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office under successive governments not to comment on internal HR matters.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much her Department has spent on external training courses involving actors since July 2024.
Data on external training involving actors is not tracked separately and is spread across various expense codes and expenditure types. Isolating this would require manual review of large volumes of data, making it impractical to extract reliably without disproportionate effort and cost.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will her Department's contracts with Inter Mediate.
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer of 25 September 2025 to question 70453.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 13 October 2025 to Question 77564 on Lord Mandelson, if she will publish her Department's HR guidance on the process to be followed once a head of mission is withdrawn.
HR procedures routinely draw from a range of established diplomatic protocols and policies.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 14 October 2025 to Question HL10630, on Lord Mandelson, what role her Department played in the due diligence undertaken prior to the appointment of the former Ambassador to the United States.
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 22nd September to question 74188.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will publish the letter of 16 May 2025 from FCDO staff to the former Foreign Secretary on HM Government's Middle East policy.
It is a long-standing principle that Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office staff should be free to express their views internally without concern that their views will be made public.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether Inter-Mediate has received funding from the Government for work on (a) China and (b) North Korea.
I refer the Hon Member to the answer he was provided on 25 September to Question 70454.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the US Government will be charged for use of the military base on Diego Garcia under the terms of the draft UK-Mauritius Treaty.
The UK does not charge the US Government for the use of the military base on Diego Garcia and does not intend to do so. The US pays for the significant operating and maintenance costs of the base and the UK benefits considerably from this arrangement.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to transparency data on FCDO ministerial meetings, April to June 2025, published on 25 September 2025, if she will publish the minutes of the ministerial meeting with the TUC on 16 June 2025; and whether the recognition of Palestine was discussed in that meeting.
As has been the case under successive governments, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office does not routinely publish the details of meetings with external bodies.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many (a) ambassadors and (b) high commissioners are not (a) civil servants and (b) members of the Diplomatic Service.
All those appointed to Ambassador or High Commissioner roles are appointed as civil servants.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many and what proportion of staff in his Department are assigned to work on the China strategy.
China cuts across the work of all parts of government, from national security, to secure growth, to climate and clean energy, to science and technology, and teams across the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and in many other government departments are working together to deliver our strategic approach to China. As such, it is not possible to provide an exact figure for the number of staff working on the China Strategy. China is one of the UK's top foreign policy priorities. That is why this Government is investing in our China capabilities in the FCDO and beyond to effectively deliver the China Strategy and for our national interest.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 11 June 2025 to Question 54790 on FCDO: Holidays, whether there is any further internal guidance to Ministers on this issue.
No. The position remains the same as under previous governments.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has spent money on (a) digital and (b) social influencers since 4 July 2024.
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office's central communication team has not paid any social media influencers for promotion since July 2024.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether (a) his Department and (b) the British Council has provided funding to Common Purpose since 4 July 2024.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has not provided any direct funding to Common Purpose since 4 July 2024.The British Council has provided £7,650 to Common Purpose since July 2024. This was to deliver three workshops under the Study UK GREAT Scholarships programme, which is part of the Government's Great Britain and Northern Ireland (GREAT) Campaign. The workshops were delivered as part of an event to support postgraduate scholars in their transition from academia to work.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 17 July 2025 to Question 66657 on Civil Service: Resignations, if he will publish the responses from the Permanent Under-Secretaries.
The letter of the Permanent Under-Secretaries of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, dated 29 May, will be deposited in the Library.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 22 August 2025 to Question 69070 on Syria: Inter Mediate, for what reason his Department does not disclose details of the individual projects funded.
In circumstances where sharing details of projects would present personal risks to partners working in sensitive contexts, or prejudice national security, international relations or data protection rights, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office does not share this information publicly.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Answer of 12 November 2024 to Question HL2064 on Diego Garcia: Military Bases, how many letters were sent between the two governments on the draft treaty that have not been published alongside the treaty.
In line with the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010, the government published the treaty and documentation required to inform the ratification of the treaty, including the full costs of the deal, on the day of signature.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, in what circumstances would the (a) Mauritius and (b) UK Government be able to terminate the UK/Mauritius: Agreement concerning the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia once it is in force.
Details of grounds for termination can be found under Article 15 of the Agreement.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 19 May 2025 to Question 51154, if he will publish the declaration by the Ambassador to the United States of America.
It has been the long-standing policy under successive governments to require ambassadors to declare personal or business interests and report gifts and hospitality. These declarations are reviewed internally on a regular basis.