Call for evidence: FCO's performance and finances in 2013-14

• Inquiry: FCO performance and finances 2013-14
• Foreign Affairs Committee

The inquiry will be based upon the 2013-14 Annual Report and Accounts of the FCO and the annual reports for 2013-14 of public bodies sponsored by the FCO. The Committee seeks evidence on any aspect of the performance, expenditure and administration of the FCO and its sponsored bodies.

Terms of reference

Seven particular areas of focus for the inquiry will be:

• The FCO’s diversity policies, including the steps it has taken to increase the number of women in senior roles, and other diversity targets
• The establishment of the Diplomatic Academy
• The interface between the FCO and the European External Action Service overseas
• Co-operation between the FCO and other Government departments and publicly funded bodies, including the arrangements for use of FCO premises and services overseas, and pooling of effort and funding in pursuit of policy aims
• The FCO’s understanding and reporting of the costs of its activities
• The changing role of the FCO and its staff in promoting investment and trade
• Corporate sponsorship of FCO activities

Deadline

Written submissions are invited and should be received by the Committee no later than 17 October 2014.

Form of written evidence

Submissions should be no longer than 3,000 words. The main body of any submission should use numbered paragraphs. Each submission should contain:

• a short summary, perhaps in bullet point form
• a brief introduction about the person or organisation submitting evidence, perhaps explaining their area of expertise or experience
• any factual information from which the Committee might be able to draw conclusions, or which could be put to other witnesses
• any recommendations for action by the Government or others which the submitter would like the Committee to consider for inclusion in its report to the House.

Submissions should be in MS Word format (we cannot process PDFs) with no use of colour or logos.

Further information

• About Parliament: Select Committees
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