To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many officials of his Department are presently seconded to support Tony Blair in his role as Middle East peace envoy; what procedure is in place for those officials to report formally to their home Department; and whether they remain subject to the Civil Service code. (309247)

At present the Department for International Development (DFID) has one person seconded to the Office of the Quartet Representative (OQR). This secondee is tasked on a day-to-day basis by the Head of the OQR, but reports formally to the Head of DFID’s office in Jerusalem. As the secondee continues to be a UK civil servant, they are still subject to the Civil Service code.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development on what date (a) he and (b) other Ministers in his Department last met Tony Blair in his capacity as Middle East peace envoy. (309249)

Tony Blair was appointed the representative of the Middle East diplomatic Quartet (the United Nations, Russian Federation, United States, and European Union) in June 2007. There have been no formal meetings between Tony Blair and the Secretary of State for International Development, or other Ministers in the Department of International Development, since he was appointed to this role.

Staff from the Department for International Development's office in Jerusalem are in regular contact with the Office of the Quartet Representative, which is also based in Jerusalem.