The following table sets out the number of staff employed at Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) posts overseas on 1 April for each year since 1995. Figures are not available for the year 2000.
We do not hold records centrally of staff numbers in embassies and consulates overseas for years prior to 1995. To compile those data would incur disproportionate cost.
Number of UK based staff Number of locally engaged staff 2007 2,807 10,730 2006 2,798 10,063 2005 2,719 10,811 2004 2,673 9,466 2003 12,017 9,062 2002 2,611 9,098 2001 2,600 8,795 2000 n/a n/a 1999 2,595 n/a 1998 2,336 n/a 1997 2,350 n/a 1996 2,415 n/a 1995 2,472 n/a 1 A new Management Information system was introduced in 2004. The figures for the transition period in 2003 are less reliable: they are likely to be an underestimate.
In addition there are a small number of staff who are employed locally and are not paid through the FCO payroll. These numbers are not held centrally and have not been included.
The overall increase in staffing at our posts overseas is due to a rise in the number of staff delivering consular and visa services to the public. These staff positions are funded out of revenue generated by the sale of passports and visas. Their number is therefore dependent on demand. This increase masks a significant reduction over the same period in the number of staff, funded from central budgets, performing other diplomatic functions.