To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will list by name and status all individuals who have received financial assistance from his Department over the past 10 years to purchase items of clothing for overseas visits; and what was the amount of each of such payments.
In the diplomatic wing, the payments derive from an officer's entitlement to a climatic clothing allowance when he or she is posted to a country where the climate is different from that in the United Kingdom. The allowance for a single officer is £468, with an additional £42 for "cold" countries, irrespective of the officer's grade. The figures for married officers are £712 and £309. Officers posted in the United Kingdom who go to such countries on an official visit may receive an accountable advance of this allowance. The rates are for visits of two months or less £187 plus "cold" supplement of £17; and for visits of more than two months £280 plus "cold" supplement of £26. In the aid wing, permanent staff making short visits are entitled to £295 in a three-year period, and contract officers up to £220. For travel over 16 weeks or for an overseas posting, there is an additional entitlement to £215 for single and £310 for married officers. Details of individual advances over the past 10 years are not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate effort and cost.