Foreign and Commonwealth Office:  EU Nationals

Baroness Park of Monmouth
asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many (a) executive, and (b) administrative posts are held by non-British European Union nationals in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office; how they were selected; and when the first non-British European Union national was recruited by the department. [HL1824]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman)
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) employs 18 non-British EU nationals in non-reserved executive posts as band C language teachers in FCO services. These appointments were made in accordance with the Office of the Civil Service Commissioners' code on recruitment. The first recruits to Civil Service posts were selected on merit through fair and open competition in 1999. However, FCO Language Training has used fee-paid teachers from EU countries since at least 1974 and continues to do so. Some of the 18 were originally fee-paid teachers who were subsequently selected for permanent contracts in 2002.

The FCO also sometimes hosts non-British EU nationals on secondment from other EU Ministries of Foreign Affairs. These positions are usually offered for one year on a reciprocal basis.