To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British citizens are directly employed by his Department in (a) Afghanistan and (b) Iraq; and in what capacities. (275458)

In Afghanistan there are 297 and in Iraq 339 British Citizens employed by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO).

The capacity in which these people are employed crosses political, development and support services.

The number of British citizens employed in Afghanistan and Iraq includes all FCO staff (civil servants and inward secondees), those employed under an individual contract with the FCO as well as those contracted to a hiring company under contract to the FCO. Contracted staff include cleaning, catering, security, medical and facilities management.