>FCO Ministers and their responsibilities
>Organisation
>Diplomatic Network
>Staff
>Services
>FCO objectives: 2005/06 - 2007/08
>FCO resources
>Contact details
FCO Ministers and their responsibilities
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Organisation
Michael Jay is the Permanent Under Secretary (PUS) of the FCO and the Head of the Diplomatic Service. He is responsible for advising the Foreign Secretary and the Ministerial team on foreign policy, and for managing the FCO.
There are five Directors-General responsible for: Corporate Affairs, Defence and Intelligence, Economic Affairs, Europe and Political Affairs.
The FCO Board consists of: the PUS, the Group Chief Executive for UK Trade and Investment, the Directors-General, the Directors for Finance, Human Resources, and Strategy and Information; and two non-executives.
The PUS and the Directors-General supervise and co-ordinate the work of the 18 Directors.
The FCO Directorates are:
Consular Defence and Strategic Threats Europea Economic Policy FCO Services |
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UKvisas (jointly managed with the Home Office), which is responsible for regulating entry to and settlement in the UK.
UK Trade and Investment (jointly managed with the Department for Trade and Industry), which works to help UK companies do business overseas and to attract inward investment to the UK.
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Diplomatic Network
We have a network of 233 diplomatic Posts worldwide:
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153 Embassies and High Commissions in capital cities (High Commissions are in Commonwealth countries);
10 Missions to international organisations and conferences such as the UN, the EU and NATO; and
70 Consulates or Deputy High Commissions outside capital cities.
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38 Posts staffed entirely by local staff;
229 Honorary Consuls; and
resident Governors in 9 of the 14 UK Overseas Territories.
Staff
The FCO employs approximately 6,000 staff recruited in the UK. They work in our Posts overseas and in our offices in London, Croydon and Milton Keynes. In addition, we have approximately 10,000 staff recruited locally by our overseas posts. Many posts also include staff in Other Government Departments, such as DTI, DIFID, MoD, and the Home Office. Many of our Posts overseas are very small, with four UK based staff or fewer.
The Distribution of FCO UK Based Staff at Post*
The Distribution of FCO UK Based Staff at Post
*In this chart a Post refers to any office with a paid member of staff
Of our total FCO UK based staff:
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39.6% are female;
5.7% are of minority ethnic origin; and
2.1% are disabled.
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52% were women;
14% were of minority ethnic origin; and
2% were disabled.
Services
In 2002-03 our consular services:
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dealt with about 1,600 requests for consular assistance each week;
issued over 480,000 passports abroad; and
received around 800,000 page views per month on our Travel Advice website.
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nearly 2 million visa applications;
almost 48,000 telephone enquiries;
just under 33,000 emails; and
nearly 23,000 letters.
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helping to create nearly 1,800 new exporters;
helping nearly 4,400 companies break into new markets; and
handling, in London, 35,000 telephone enquiries, 7,500 e-mail enquiries and 7,000 visitors.
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FCO objectives: 2005/06 - 2007/08
The FCO's current set of high level objectives, and the targets that cascade from them, were agreed as part of the 2004 Government spending review. They are set out in the FCO's Public Service Agreement (PSA). It came into effect in April 2005 and covers a three year period. The full PSA is as follows:
Aim: To work for UK interests in a safe, just and prosperous world.
Objective I: A world safer from global terrorism and weapons of mass destruction (WMD).The basis for measuring progress against the FCO's PSA is set out in the SR04 PSA Technical Note: Spending Review 04: Public Service Agreement Technical Note (PDF, 108K)
1.To deter, check and roll back programmes for the development of WMD and related delivery systems in countries of concern, and to reduce the supply of, and demand for, such weapons world-wide.
2. To reduce the risk from international terrorism so that UK citizens can go about their business freely and with confidence.
Objective II: Protection of the UK from illegal immigration, drug trafficking and other international crime.
Objective III: An international system based on the rule of law, which is better able to resolve disputes and prevent conflicts.
3. By 2008, deliver improved effectiveness of UK and international support for conflict prevention by addressing long-term structural causes of conflict, managing regional and national tension and violence, and supporting post-conflict reconstruction, where the UK can make a significant contribution, in particular Africa, Asia, Balkans and the Middle East. Joint with the Ministry of Defence and the Department for International Development.
Objective IV: An effective EU in a secure neighbourhood.
4. A reformed and effective (post-enlargement) EU, as measured by progress towards achieving UK policy priorities, including a robust and effective Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) which complements NATO.
5. Play a leading role in the development of the European Security Agenda, and enhance capabilities to undertake timely and effective security operations, by successfully encouraging a more efficient and effective NATO, a more coherent and effective European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP) operating in strategic partnership with NATO, and enhanced European defence capabilities. Joint with the Ministry of Defence.
Objective V: Promotion of UK economic interests in an open and expanding global economy.
6. By 2008, deliver a measurable improvement in the business performance of UK Trade and Investment's international trade customers, with an emphasis on new to export firms; and maintain the UK as the prime location in the EU for foreign direct investment. Joint with the Department of Trade and Industry.
Objective VI: Sustainable development, underpinned by democracy, good governance and human rights.
7. To increase understanding of, and engagement with, Islamic countries and communities and to work with them to promote peaceful political, economic and social reform.
8. To promote sustainable development, underpinned by democracy, good governance and human rights, particularly through effective delivery of programmes in these and related fields.
Objective VII: Security of UK and global energy supplies.
Objective VIII: Security and good governance of the UK's Overseas Territories.
Objective IX: High quality consular services to British nationals abroad. Effective regulation of entry to, and settlement in, the UK in the interests of sustainable growth and social inclusion. (Entry clearance through UKvisas.)
9. Effective and efficient consular and entry clearance services, as measured by specific underlying targets.
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FCO resources
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Parliament voted the FCO a total provision of £1,667 million for 2003-04.
Around one quarter of the total went directly to the BBC World Service and BBC monitoring (£227 million) and to the British Council (£167 million).
£222m was the FCO's contribution to the Government's conflict prevention work.
£100m was allocated to the UK's subscriptions to international organisations, such as the UN.
The remaining £951 million was allocated to the FCO itself to run its network around the world, pursue its objectives and run programmes.
FCO Voted provision, 2003-04
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Contact details
Travel advice is available in the Services channel of the website or from the travel advice unit on 0870 606 0290 or by e-mail: consular.fco@gtnet.gov.uk.
Information on visas is available on the UKvisas website at www.ukvisas.gov.uk.
Recruitment information is available in the About Us channel of the website or by contacting recruitment.public@fco.gov.uk.
See also: Read the FCO StrategyHighlights of the strategyFCO Departmental Report FCO Business Plan 2003-06 (PDF, 1.4MB)
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