To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether his Department has received advice on the permissibility of making redundant management service officers and replacing them in that capacity with locally-engaged staff; and if he will make a statement. (319429)

To date there have been no compulsory redundancies as a result of localisation of management officer positions. Some management officers have chosen to take voluntary early retirement. However no one has been forced to leave. Our policy is to avoid compulsory redundancies wherever possible. In response to concerns raised by the trade union side, we sought advice on this question and we are fully committed to following our legal obligations in any redundancy situation should it arise.