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26 Nov 2008 : Column 1765W—continued
The total cost of the British embassy in Dublin for each of the last five years has been:
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Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many receptions were held at the British Embassy in (a) Paris, (b) Berlin, (c) Madrid, (d) Brussels, (e) Rome and (f) Dublin in each of the last five years; and how much was spent on alcoholic drinks for such receptions in each of those years. [238678]
Caroline Flint: The number of receptions held at our embassies in Paris, Berlin, Madrid, Brussels, Rome and Dublin in each of the last five years, and the amount that was spent on alcoholic drinks for such receptions in each of those years, is not held centrally and could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.
Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many receptions held at the British embassy in (a) Paris, (b) Berlin, (c) Madrid, (d) Brussels, (e) Rome and (f) Dublin in each of the last five years were organised and funded by (i) trade unions, (ii) charities, (iii) businesses and (iv) other types of organisations; and what income each embassy received from charges for the use of facilities for such receptions in each of those years. [238679]
Caroline Flint: The number of receptions held at our embassies in Paris, Berlin, Madrid, Brussels, Rome and Dublin in each of the last five years that were organised and funded by trade unions, charities, businesses and other types of organisations, and the income each embassy received from charges for the use of facilities for these receptions in each of those years, is not held centrally and could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.
Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much was spent by the British Embassy in (a) Paris, (b) Berlin, (c) Madrid, (d) Brussels, (e) Rome and (f) Dublin on (i) newspapers, magazines and periodicals and (ii) stationery in each of the last five years. [238680]
Caroline Flint: The amount that was spent on newspapers, magazines and periodicals at our embassies in Paris, Berlin, Madrid, Brussels, Rome and Dublin in each of the last five years is not held centrally and could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.
Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many members of staff are employed at the British Embassy in (a) Paris, (b) Berlin, (c) Madrid, (d) Brussels, (e) Rome and (f) Dublin to work on correspondence; and what the average response time to written correspondence was in the latest period for which figures are available. [238681]
Caroline Flint:
The number of staff employed at our embassies in Paris, Berlin, Madrid, Brussels, Rome and Dublin to work on correspondence, and the average
response time to written correspondence is not held centrally and could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.
Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what financial monitoring is carried out at the British Embassy in (a) Paris, (b) Berlin, (c) Madrid, (d) Brussels, (e) Rome and (f) Dublin to avoid waste and promote efficient use of resources. [238682]
Caroline Flint: Effective financial monitoring and efficient use of resources is a high priority in our embassies in Paris, Berlin, Madrid, Brussels, Rome and Dublin, as it is in all posts in Europe and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). Given the importance of effective financial monitoring the Head of Mission is accountable at each post for the sign off of expenditure and receipts and the day-to-day management of post budgets being overseen by a management officer. The network of posts in Europe is at the forefront of FCO efficiency programmes with a savings target of £15,000,000 by the end of FY 2010-11. These efficiencies, which are under regular review, will be realised by reprioritising the use of posts budgets and redeployment of frontline staff.
Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the British Embassy in (a) Tel Aviv and (b) Moscow takes to avoid unnecessary waste and promote efficient use of resources; and how his Department monitors the effectiveness of such steps. [239619]
Bill Rammell: Budgets are allocated to posts after rigorous scrutiny in the resource allocation round. The ambassadors in Tel Aviv and Moscow are responsible for ensuring the proper use of these funds and for reporting to their geographical Director and Director Finance in London. There is also a robust monthly monitoring process for all posts, with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Board monitoring overall expenditure each month.
Embassies: Foreign Workers
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 17th November 2008, Official Report, column 196W, on embassies: foreign workers, what additional positions in UK overseas posts have been identified for localisation in the financial years (a) 2007-08 and (b) 2008-09, broken down by (i) country, (ii) mission, (iii) title of position and (iv) payband. [238229]
David Miliband: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer given to question 238243 on 26 November 2008.
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 17 November 2008, Official Report, column 196W, on embassies: foreign workers, which posts have been localised since January 2007, broken down by (a) country, (b) mission, (c) title of position and (d) pay band. [238243]
David Miliband: A detailed breakdown of jobs localised since January 2007 by country, mission, title of position and pay band is as follows:
| Country | Post | Job title | Grade/pay band |
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