To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many members of staff are employed at the British Embassy in (a) Ottawa, (b) Washington, (c) Beijing, (d) Tokyo, (e) Sydney, (f) Johannesburg and (g) Delhi to work on correspondence; and what the average response time to written correspondence to each embassy was in the latest period for which figures are available. (242541)

Information on the number of staff employed at our embassies in Washington, Beijing and Tokyo, at the high commission in New Delhi, at the trade and investment office in Johannesburg, and at the consulate general in Sydney working on correspondence, and the average response time to written correspondence, is not held centrally and could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much was spent by the British Embassy in (a) Ottawa, (b) Washington, (c) Beijing, (d) Tokyo, (e) Sydney, (f) Johannesburg and (g) Delhi on stationery in each of the last five years. (242542)

Information on the cost of stationery in each of the last five years at our embassies in Washington, Beijing and Tokyo, at the high commission in New Delhi, at the trade and investment office in Johannesburg, and at the consulate general in Sydney is not held centrally and could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much was spent by the British Embassy in (a) Ottawa, (b) Washington, (c) Beijing, (d) Tokyo, (e) Sydney, (f) Johannesburg and (g) Delhi on newspapers, magazines and periodicals in each of the last five years. (242543)

Details of the amount spent on newspapers, magazines and periodicals in each of the last five years at our embassies in Washington, Beijing and Tokyo, at the high commission in New Delhi, at the trade and investment office in Johannesburg and at the consulate general in Sydney is not held centrally and could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many receptions held at the British Embassy in (a) Ottawa, (b) Washington, (c) Beijing, (d) Tokyo, (e) Sydney, (f) Johannesburg and (g) Delhi in each of the last five years were organised and funded by (i) trades unions, (ii) charities, (iii) businesses and (iv) other types of organisation; and what income each Embassy received from charges for the use of facilities for receptions in each of the last five years. (242544)

This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the value is of the (a) wine and (b) other alcoholic drinks held in storage by the British Embassy in (i) Ottawa, (ii) Washington, (iii) Beijing, (iv) Tokyo, (v) Sydney, and (vi) Delhi. (242545)

Information on the value of wine and other alcoholic drinks held in storage at our embassies in Washington, Beijing and Tokyo, at the high commission in New Delhi, at the trade and investment office in Johannesburg, and at the consulate general in Sydney is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much was spent on alcoholic drinks for receptions at the British Embassy in (a) Ottawa, (b) Washington, (c) Beijing, (d) Tokyo, (e) Sydney, (f) Johannesburg and (g) Delhi in each of the last five years. (242546)

Details of the amount spent on alcoholic drinks at our embassies in Washington, Beijing and Tokyo, at the high commission in New Delhi, at the trade and investment office in Johannesburg, and at the consulate general in Sydney in each of the last five years is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many receptions were held at the British Embassy in (a) Ottawa, (b) Washington, (c) Beijing, (d) Tokyo, (e) Sydney, (f) Johannesburg and (g) Delhi in each of the last five years. (242547)

Details of the number of receptions at our embassies in Washington, Beijing and Tokyo, at the High Commission in Delhi, at the Trade and Investment Office in Johannesburg, and at the Consulate General in Sydney in each of the last five years is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what self-assessment is carried out by the British Embassy in (a) Ottawa, (b) Washington, (c) Beijing, (d) Tokyo, (e) Sydney, (f) Johannesburg and (g) Delhi to avoid waste and promote efficient use of resources. (242559)

Effective financial monitoring and efficient use of resources is a high priority at all our posts overseas. The Head of Mission is responsible and accountable for oversight of the application of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's universal financial controls at that post, with the day to day management of post budgets being overseen by a management officer.