Letter to the Secretary of State for Foreign
and Commonwealth Affairs from the Chairman of the Committee
I write further to my letter of 10 July in which
I informed you that the Foreign Affairs Committee intends to take
oral evidence from Rt Hon the Baroness Amos following the announcement
of her appointment as the next High Commissioner to Australia.
In that letter I indicated that the Committee would be requesting
written evidence from the FCO on this appointment. We would be
grateful if a written memorandum on this appointment could be
supplied which included answers to the following questions:
1. The Committee would be grateful to receive
a note setting out the FCO's system for appointment of heads of
mission. This should address, inter alia, the following
questions:
— What is the process for appointing a new
head of mission? How long does it normally take? Who is consulted?
Are applications sought from existing staff? If so, what is the
format of these applications?
— What are the criteria, both formal and
informal, for appointment as a head of mission?
— Are Ministers involved in the choice
of heads of mission? If so, to what extent, how and when?
2. Is it the practice for a head of mission to
be consulted about the choice of his/her successor? Was the existing
head of mission consulted before the appointment was made?
3. Are the views of the overseas government on
the suitability of individual candidates sought, either formally
or informally?
4. Is the FCO required to appoint heads of mission
on a basis of fair and open competition? What is the legal basis,
both past and present, for the appointment of a non-diplomat as
head of mission?
5. Has the FCO assessed which Posts are or might
be suitable for the appointment of a non-diplomat as head of mission?
6. Have guidelines been drawn up on the circumstances
in which it might be appropriate to appoint a non-diplomat as
head of mission? If so, please supply these to the Committee.
7. Please give details of any assessment carried
out within the FCO of the performance in post of non-diplomats
appointed as heads of mission since 1997.
8. Has any concern been expressed to the Government
by the civil service unions about recent proposed appointments
of non-diplomats as heads of mission? If so, please give details.
9. How did the proposal to appoint Baroness Amos
as High Commissioner to Canberra originate? By whom was the decision
to offer her the post taken, and on what advice? What process
of selection or examination was she subject to? What qualifications
does she have to make her suitable for appointment? When and by
whom was the offer communicated to her?
10. What past experience does Baroness Amos have
of Australian politics and culture, and of UK-Australian bilateral
relations?
11. Please supply the Committee with full details
of the proposed terms and conditions of service of Baroness Amos
as High Commissioner. How will these differ from the normal terms
and conditions of service of a career diplomat? Will this be a
fixed-term appointment? What will be her salary and pension entitlement?
12. Baroness Amos will be the third High Commission
to Australia in a row to have been appointed from outside the
ranks of the diplomatic service. Why is Australia regarded as
being particularly suitable for such appointments?
13. Has there been any criticism of the proposed
appointment of Baroness Amos within Australia, from politicians,
the media or others?
7 August 2009
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