Examining the bottom line with top civil servants for foreign affairs
The annual report and accounts of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office will form the bedrock of questions to the Department’s top civil servants on Tuesday 9 December.
Members will expect an update on the restructuring process currently underway in the Department, particularly in light of the Autumn Budget indicating a further reduction in the Foreign Office’s settlement, following the FCDO having already faced the harshest real-terms cuts at the Spending Review. This will include the overseas network and what remains of the overseas estate.
As the previous Foreign Secretary made soft power a priority area for the FCDO, the Committee has been keeping a watching brief on the financial settlements for the BBC World Service and British Council. With both organisations facing financial pressures, including planned cuts to the World Service, the Committee will seek an update from the Permanent Secretary.
Meeting details
The FCDO Annual Report highlights the actions the Department has taken to confront a range of national security threats from malicious state activity. As it continues to support Ukraine and other partnerships across the world, the Committee will explore how budget pressures and funding reductions will impact the Government’s stated plans for national security, migration and work on the UK-EU reset.
As Permanent Secretary, Sir Oliver Robbins is the Principal Accounting Officer for the FCDO, the Head of the Diplomatic Service and the most senior policy adviser to the Foreign Secretary. He is also responsible for the management of the FCDO in the UK and its embassies and high commissions around the world. He took up the post in January 2025.
Nick Dyer is the second Permanent Secretary in the Department. He was the Director General, Humanitarian and Development at the FCDO from March 2022 to July 2023 and previously served as the top civil servant at the Department for International Development. They’ll be joined by Tim Jones, the Department’s Finance Director since September 2020.