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Departmental Accountancy

Volume 490: debated on Monday 23 March 2009

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with reference to paragraph 88 of the Foreign Affairs Committee's Second Report of Session 2008-09, HC 195, on his Department's Annual Report for 2007-08, when he expects to publish details of the cost savings accruing from his Department's co-location programmes; and if he will make a statement. (256990)

Various partners across Government co-locate with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). These partners base their operations within FCO missions overseas and use the support of FCO staff in management and administrative positions.

By not having to set up their own offices these Departments make efficiency savings as well as avoiding additional costs for the Department and tax payer. However we have not been informed of the cost savings made by other Departments in this manner, and cannot therefore publish details of them.