Foreign and Commonwealth Office

This page highlights some of the current parliamentary material available on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and consular services. This includes select committee reports, briefing papers on current legislation and other subjects produced by the parliamentary research services, and the latest Early Day Motions put down by MPs.

Standard Notes

Date	Description
22.07.2013	In brief: the controversy over the November 2013 Commonwealth Summit in Sri Lanka
	In November 2009, the Commonwealth Heads of State and Government Meeting (CHOGM) agreed that its 2013 meeting should be held in Sri Lanka. This decision has faced persistent criticism since then, with organisations including Human Rights Watch arguing that the Sri Lankan Government's human rights record is so poor that the Commonwealth should relocate the Summit elsewhere. The Commonwealth Secretary-General, Kamalesh Sharma, has rejected such calls. So far, Canada is the only Commonwealth member state to say that it will definitely not be attending the Summit. The Prime Minister, David Cameron, and the Foreign Secretary, William Hague, have confirmed that they will both be attending the Summit on behalf of the British Government (Prince Charles will represent the Queen). The official British position is that they will use their presence to raise concerns about the human rights situation in Sri Lanka.
05.06.2013	In brief: Kenya after the March 2013 elections
	The 4 March presidential elections saw Jubilee Alliance candidate Uhuru Kenyatta win a narrow victory in the first round. , Kenyatta and his deputy, William Ruto, are both due to be tried by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in connection with the violence that followed the December 2007 elections. The victory of Kenyatta and Ruto has presented Western governments with a dilemma. While Western rhetorical support for the ICC remains strong, many in Kenya and beyond believe that pressure is being exerted on it 'behind the scenes' to soften its position so that the cases do not excessively impede Western cooperation with the new Government.
18.04.2013	In brief: the Commonwealth Charter
	On 11 March 2013 in London the Queen signed the Commonwealth Charter. However, while the UK Government has welcomed it, there has been considerable criticism of the Charter on the grounds that it is not legally binding and cannot be effectively enforced. In September 2012 three Commonwealth Nobel Laureates, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Nadine Gordimer and Wole Soyinka had said that a weak and ineffective Charter should not be endorsed. LGBT rights campaigners have also been vocal in signalling disappointment with the final text.
01.03.2013	In brief: The Arms Trade Treaty - trying again
	This note surveys the state of the UN-based negotiations on an Arms Trade Treaty, which were due to be completed at a conference in New York in July 2012, but which were unable to reach agreement on a final text. However, the UN General Assembly has agreed to convene a further UN Conference in March 2013. One way or another, the odds favour a treaty being agreed next year.
01.02.2013	Southeast Asia: an update
	The political and economic profile of Southeast Asia as a region continues to rise. The UK is scaling up its engagement with the region. This briefing provides country snapshots of the main events in six of the countries in the region since the start of 2012 and also looks at significant developments over the past year or so in the UK's relations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its member states.

Research Papers

Date	Description
21.01.2011	UK Defence and Security Policy: A New Approach?
	Both the National Security Strategy and the Strategic Defence and Security Review were published in October 2010, five months after the Government took office. This paper examines the main priorities and recommendations set out in each of those documents
23.06.2008	British foreign policy since 1997
	British foreign policy since 1997. House of Commons Library Research Paper 08/56.

Select Committee Reports

Date	Description
15.12.2011	Government response to the ninth report from the Foreign Affairs Select Committee on UK-Brazil relations....
	Government response. Foreign and Commonwealth Office; Foreign Affairs Select Committee report [Commons]
14.09.2011	FCO's human rights work 2010-11.
	Government response. Foreign and Commonwealth Office report [Commons]
07.09.2011	Spending reduction in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
	Public Accounts Committee report [Commons]
14.07.2011	Role of the FCO in UK government.
	Government response. Foreign and Commonwealth Office report [Commons]
26.05.2011	FCO performance and finances.
	Government response. Foreign and Commonwealth Office report [Commons]

Early Day Motions

Date	Description
25.10.2010	COMMONWEALTH SCHOLARSHIPS
	That this House pays tribute to the important role Commonwealth scholarships have played in educating young people from Commonwealth countries, especially those in the developing world; ...
27.04.2009	COMMONWEALTH SCHOLARSHIP AND FELLOWSHIP PLAN
	That this House congratulates the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan on its 50th anniversary this year; notes the major impact of the plan in producing leaders and highly-skilled ...
29.04.2008	COMMONWEALTH SCHOLARSHIPS
	That this House notes with concern the potential impact of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's (FCO) decision to withdraw funding from Commonwealth and Chevening scholarships on the ...

Lords Library Notes

Date	Description
14.04.2011	Debate on 28 April: Co-ordination between Government Departments on the use of Soft Power
	This Library Note provides background information for the debate on 28 April 2011 on co-ordination between Government departments on the use of soft power.