A 2019 aid transparency assessment by Publish What You Fund categorised the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) rating as Fair following improvements in the way the FCO publishes data. The FCO is committed to continuing to invest in aid transparency. Since 2018 we have improved the way we publish data, in particular ensuring that data is released quarterly. This contributed to our increased score in the latest assessment. We recognise that we still have more to do and are currently considering how to make further improvements in the light of the 2019 assessment's findings.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4075", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Christopher Pincher"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Tamworth"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Christopher Pincher"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-02-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-02-13T17:03:58.397Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2020-02-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Disclosure of Information"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the 2018 Aid Transparency Index published by Publish What You Fund, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the categorisation of his Department as poor; and if his Department will (a) publish data to the International Aid Transparency Initiative each quarter and (b) take steps to improve the quality of that data.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4616", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Rosie Duffield"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Canterbury"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Rosie Duffield"} ], "uin" : "14795"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1173150", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1173150/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
\u200bFCO 93/1981<\/em> is a 1979 Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) file entitled "Sale of military equipment from the USA to Jordan". It was released in full with no redactions to The National Archives (TNA) in January 2010. The FCO, like other government departments, is responsible for selecting its archive records for permanent preservation in line with the requirements of the Public Records Act. Records selected for permanent preservation are transferred to TNA where they are available to members of the public, subject to any legal exemptions.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4075", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Christopher Pincher"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Tamworth"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Christopher Pincher"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-01-31", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-01-31T13:13:23.823Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2020-01-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Disclosure of Information"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, for what reason document FCO 93/1981 has not been released to the National Archives; and if he will place a copy of the document into the library.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4518", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Tulip Siddiq"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hampstead and Kilburn"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Tulip Siddiq"}
], "uin" : "7647"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1111201", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1111201/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " We have not entered into any non-disclosure agreements with Departmental staff in the last five years.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/343", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Alan Duncan"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Rutland and Melton"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Sir Alan Duncan"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-04-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-04-23T15:35:51.747Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-04-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Disclosure of Information"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many non-disclosure agreements his Department has entered into with Departmental staff in each of the last five years.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4006", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hendon"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Dr Matthew Offord"}
], "uin" : "243414"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1052372", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1052372/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " It would not be appropriate to place a copy of the report resulting from the internal investigation into the leaked Foreign Office memo ahead of the State Visit of Pope Benedict XVI in 2010 in the Library of the House. Doing so would breach data protection legislation as the report contains personal information about those involved. The substantial media coverage of the leak at the time means that, even if the report were redacted to remove names of those involved, their identity would be readily available through an internet search.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4210", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-02-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-02-13T17:12:48.457Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-01-31", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Disclosure of Information"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Freedom of Information Act request to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 14 January (0045\u201319), whether they will place in the Library of the House a copy of the report resulting from the internal investigation into the leaked Foreign Office memo ahead of the State Visit of Pope Benedict XVI in 2010 with the names of the officials concerned redacted together with any other information that could lead to their identification.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/738", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Alton of Liverpool"}
], "uin" : "HL13317"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/896443", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/896443/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " It has been the policy of successive Governments not to comment on security matters other than in exceptional circumstances when it is in the public interest to do so. The leak of any Government information or material is not acceptable and the Government takes such incidents very seriously.<\/strong><\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1201", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Alistair Burt"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "North East Bedfordshire"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Alistair Burt"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-05-14", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-05-14T16:55:41.073Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-05-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Disclosure of Information"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many leak enquiries his Department has undertaken in the last two years.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/410", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jon Trickett"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hemsworth"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jon Trickett"}
], "uin" : "140586"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/896459", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/896459/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " \u200bWe have not signed any non-disclosure agreements with employees in the last five years.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/343", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Alan Duncan"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Rutland and Melton"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Sir Alan Duncan"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-05-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-05-11T12:39:55.437Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-05-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Disclosure of Information"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many non-disclosure agreements his Department has signed with employees in each of the last five years for which figures are available.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4418", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Justin Madders"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Ellesmere Port and Neston"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Justin Madders"}
], "uin" : "140806"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/758700", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/758700/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " \u200bAll staff can see the whistleblowing policy on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) intranet. This includes a presentation on how to raise a concern and contact details for Nominated Officers to whom staff can talk in confidence about any concerns they have. The Board reviews whistleblowing data on a quarterly basis and regularly confirms its continued commitment to the policy. Regular messages are published in staff bulletins to remind employees how they can raise a concern, and our overseas posts supplement this with their own internal messaging on a six-monthly basis. Other internal communications on this issue have included a blog by the HR Director and poster campaigns. The FCO's Anti-Fraud and Corruption Unit has a 24/7 hotline for reporting concerns about financial irregularities.<\/p> The FCO will mark Civil Service Whistleblowing Awareness Day on 21 September with a message to all staff, digital signage in the FCO building and an internal tweeting campaign by senior staff and Nominated Officers. The FCO coordinates its whistleblowing awareness activities with its executive agencies who adopt a similar approach.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/343", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Alan Duncan"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Rutland and Melton"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Sir Alan Duncan"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-09-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-09-15T13:50:11.77Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2017-09-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Disclosure of Information"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to promote whistleblowing in his Department and agencies.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/410", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jon Trickett"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hemsworth"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jon Trickett"}
], "uin" : "9416"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/748167", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/748167/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The figures on the numbers of protected disclosures (whistleblowing/raising a concern) in each of the last three years at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and their validity is as follows:<\/p> 2016/2017 9 whistleblows, 0 proven<\/p> 2015/2016 13 whistleblows, 1 proven<\/p> 2014/2015 16 whistleblows, 1 proven<\/p> The identity of all persons raising a concern remains confidential to the Anti Fraud & Corruption Unit and we are not informed as a consequence of any person leaving the FCO employment.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/343", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Alan Duncan"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Rutland and Melton"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Sir Alan Duncan"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-07-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-07-12T13:24:52.243Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2017-07-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Disclosure of Information"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many protected disclosures were made by staff in his Department in each of the last three years for which figures are available; how many such disclosures were found to be valid; how many staff alleged detriment as a result of making such a disclosure; and how many staff who (a) made such a disclosure and (b) alleged detriment as a result of a disclosure subsequently left the employment of the Department.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4418", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Justin Madders"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Ellesmere Port and Neston"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Justin Madders"}
], "uin" : "2832"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/638238", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/638238/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Everyone who works with government has a duty to respect the confidentiality and integrity of any Government information and data that they use, and is personally accountable for safeguarding assets in line with this policy. Foreign and Comonwealth Office (FCO) Guidance already recommends restricting distribution lists for particularly sensitive information. Whenever there is an alleged leak of FCO information, the Department follows established Cabinet Office investigation procedures.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3474", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Anelay of St Johns"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2016-11-29", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2016-11-29T17:45:15.767Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2016-11-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Disclosure of Information"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government, further to the answer by Baroness Anelay of St Johns on 16 November (HL Deb, cols 1424\u20135), what steps they are taking to reduce the number of leaks of confidential communications, and in particular whether they intend to restrict distribution lists.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4302", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Balfe"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Balfe"}
], "uin" : "HL3308"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/429241", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/429241/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Foreign and Commonwealth Office no longer retains case files for employment tribunals for 2003 and 2004. However our records indicate we settled two 2 cases in each year. Settlement agreements at that time included a standard confidentiality or non-disclosure clause.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3474", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Anelay of St Johns"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-12-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-12-02T15:29:18.043Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2015-11-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Disclosure of Information"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government what non-disclosure agreements the FCO made in 2003\u201304, and on what date each agreement was made.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/2479", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Laird"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Laird"}
], "uin" : "HL3725"}
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}