Foreign and Commonwealth Office
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The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, more commonly known as the Foreign Office (or the FCO), is the United Kingdom government department responsible for promoting the interests of the United Kingdom abroad. The head of the FCO is the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which is commonly abbreviated to Foreign Secretary. This position is traditionally regarded as one of the three most prestigious appointments in the cabinet below that of Prime Minister, alongside those of Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Home Secretary.
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Current ministers
Ministers at the FCO, as of 22 September 2005, are as follows:
- Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs - The Rt Hon. Jack Straw, MP
- Minister of State for Europe - The Rt Hon. Douglas Alexander, MP
- Minister of State for Trade - Ian Pearson, MP
- Minister of State - Dr Kim Howells
- Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State - Lord Triesman of Tottenham
The Permanent Under-Secretary and Head of the Diplomatic Service is presently Sir Michael Jay (a senior civil servant).
History of the department
The department's origins
Image:Foreign Office Grand Staircase ILN 1868.jpg The FCO was formed in 1968 out of the merger of the short-lived Commonwealth Office and the Foreign Office, the Commonwealth Office having been formed only in 1966 by the merger of the Commonwealth Relations Office and the Colonial Office. The Commonwealth Relations Office had been formed by the merger of the Dominions Office and the India Office in 1947, with the Dominions Office having been split from the Colonial Office in 1925.
The Foreign Office was formed in March 1782 by combining the Southern and Northern Departments, each of which covered both foreign and domestic affairs in their respective geographical parts of the Kingdom. The two departments' foreign affairs responsibilities became the Foreign Office, whilst their domestic affairs responsibilities were assigned to the Home Office.
List of Permanent Under Secretaries of State
- Sir Michael Jay 2002- (term due to end Summer 2006)
- Sir John Kerr 1997-2002
- Sir John Coles 1994-1997
- Sir David Gillmore 1991-1994
- Sir Patrick Wright 1986-1991
- Sir Antony Acland 1982-1986
- Captain Sir Michael Palliser 1975-1982
- Sir Thomas Brimelow 1973-1975
- Colonel Sir Denis Greenhill 1969-1973
- Sir Paul Gore-Booth 1965-1969
- Sir Harold Caccia 1962-1965
- Sir Frederick Hoyer Miller 1957-1962
- Sir Ivone Kirkpatrick 1953-1957
- Sir William Strang 1949-1953
- Sir Orme Sargent 1946-1949
- Honourable Sir Alexander Cadogan 1938-1946
- Sir Robert Vansittart 1930-1938
- Sir Ronald Lindsay 1928-1930
- Sir William Tyrrell 1925-1928
- Sir Eyre Crowe 1920-1925
- Lord Hardinge of Penshurst 1916-1920
- Sir Arthur Nicolson 1910-1916
- Honourable Sir Charles Hardinge 1906-1910
- Sir Thomas Sanderson 1894-1906
- Sir Philip Currie 1889-1893
- Sir Julian Pauncefote 1882-1889
- Lord Tenterden 1873-1882
- Sir Edmund Hammond 1854-1873
- Henry Unwin Addington 1842-1854
- John Backhouse 1827-1842
- Sir George Hammond 1807-1809
- Sir George Hammond 1795-1806
Recent developments
On December 2, 2003, the FCO announced eight strategic priorities for the next five to ten years, in its first strategy document:
- A world safer from global terrorism and weapons of mass destruction
- Protection of the UK from illegal immigration, drug trafficking and other international crime.
- An international system based on the rule of law, which is better able to resolve disputes and prevent conflicts.
- An effective EU in a secure neighbourhood.
- Promotion of UK economic interests in an open and expanding global economy.
- Sustainable development, underpinned by democracy, good governance and human rights.
- Security of UK and global energy supplies.
- Security and good governance of the British Overseas Territories.
In August 2005 a report by management consultant group Collinson Grant which criticised the management structure of the department was made public by Andrew Mackinlay. The report noted that:
- The Foreign Office could be "slow to act".
- Delegation is lacking within the management structure.
- Accountability was poor.
- 1200 jobs could be lost.
- At least £48 million could be saved annually.
The Foreign Office commissioned the report to highlight areas which would help it achieve its pledge to reduce spending by £87 million pounds over three years. In response to the report being made public, the Foreign Office stated it had already implemented the report's recommendations. [1]
History of the building
Image:Foreign and India Offices, London, 1866 ILN.jpg The Foreign and Commonwealth Office occupies a building which originally provided premises for four separate government departments: the Foreign, India, Colonial and Home Offices. Construction began in 1861 and finished in 1868. It was designed by the architect George Gilbert Scott in an Italianate style. He had wished it to be Gothic, but the Foreign Secretary Lord Palmerston, insisted on a classical style.
Over the years the offices became increasingly cramped due to staff numbers and much of the fine Victorian interior was covered over, especially after World War II. In the 1960s demolition was proposed, but due to a public outcry asserting its heritage value the building was retained and extensively refurbished. It is open to the public each year on Open House Weekend. The Foreign and Commonwealth is now also the main tenant of the Admiralty Extension building at the opposite end of Horse Guards Parade.
See also
- Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
- Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs
- Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations
- Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs