Sir Philip Barton to face questions on Integrated Review, DFID-FCO merger and Ukraine
The Foreign Affairs Committee holds an evidence session on the work of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). The Committee hears from Sir Philip Barton, the Permanent Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Head of the Diplomatic Service. Sir Philip Barton appears alongside Juliet Chua, Director General Finance and Corporate at the FCDO.
Meeting details
The session covers the management of the FCDO’s resources and business, including the implementation and delivery of FCDO Major projects and priorities. Topics likely to be covered include the impact of the Integrated Review and its refresh, the DFID-FCO merger and skills and staffing issues. The Committee may also discuss the announcement of increased funding for the BBC World Service. The session offers the opportunity to follow up on progress made since the publication of previous Foreign Affairs Committee reports, including on Xinjiang.
The Committee’s last evidence session focusing on the work of the Permanent Under-Secretary of the FCDO was held in November 2020 and discussed the fallout from Afghanistan. This session may also cover the FCDO’s continued response to events in Afghanistan, the Afghan Citizens’ Resettlement Scheme and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.