As part of this inquiry, the Foreign Affairs Committee proposes to hold twice-yearly evidence sessions with the Foreign Secretary. These will cover the full range of the Foreign Secretary’s responsibilities, including the overall role of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and its associated public bodies (principally the British Council and the BBC World Service), UK bilateral and multilateral relationships, the national security agenda, FCO funding and corporate issues, the Diplomatic Service, consular activities, UK Overseas Territories, the promotion of human rights overseas and other matters.
Letter from the Chair of the Committee dated 17 January, relating to the European Council meeting in December. (
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Letter from the Secretary of State of 15 February relating to the European Council meeting in December. ( PDF 1.51 MB)
Oral Evidence
Wednesday 8 September 2010 - oral and written evidence
Witnesses: Rt Hon William Hague MP, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and First Secretary of State, and Mr Simon Fraser CMG, Permanent Under-Secretary at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Head of the Diplomatic Service
Wednesday 16 March 2011 - oral and written evidence
Witnesses: Rt Hon William Hague MP, First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs; Simon Fraser CMG, Permanent Under-Secretary, and James Bevan CMG, Director General Change and Delivery, Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Wednesday 7 September 2011 - oral and written evidence
Witnesses: Rt Hon William Hague MP, First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs; Simon Fraser CMG, Permanent Under-Secretary, and Sir Geoffrey Adams, KCMG
Thursday 8 March 2012 - oral and written evidence
Witnesses: Rt Hon William Hague MP, First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs; Simon Fraser CMG, Permanent Under-Secretary, and Simon Manley, Director for Europe, Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Tuesday 18 September 2012 - oral evidence
Witnesses: Rt Hon William Hague MP, First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs; David Quarrey, Director, Middle East and North African Division, and Matthew Rycroft, Chief Operating Officer, Foreign and Commonwealth Office