The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) promotes UK interests abroad and works with international bodies to support a strong world community. The FCO is responsible for the conduct of business with other governments and international organisations.
This includes developing Britain’s role as a member of the European Union, the Commonwealth and the United Nations. The FCO also promotes human rights, improved global security and assists those countries which are developing new democratic institutions.
The department is responsible for the protection of British citizens abroad through a network of 232 Embassies, Consulates and High Commissions worldwide, which assist 50,000 people every year, and which promote British commercial and other interests abroad. The FCO also provides practical advice to British people travelling abroad about travel, security and health conditions in countries they are planning to visit.
With the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the FCO supports UK Trade and Investment to international trade by UK exporters and inward investment by overseas firms in Britain.
It also promotes British culture through the British Council, which has offices in 109 countries and the BBC World Service, with accurate and impartial broadcasts heard by 150 million people worldwide in many different languages.
Here is a list of ministers who work for the Department.
Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Foreign Secretary)
Responsibilities include:
- Overall responsibility for the work of the Office
- Policy Planning and Research Analysts
- Communications
- Honours
- Whitehall Liaison Department
Minister of State (Europe)
Jim Murphy MP
Responsibilities include:
- EU and Europe
- Russia, South Caucasus, Central Asia
- Balkans
- Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova
- OSCE and Council of Europe
- NATO
- Public Diplomacy Board
Minister of State
Responsibilities include:
- FCO business in the Lords
- Asia - Afghanistan/Sub-continent and Far East
- Africa
- UN
- Human Rights
- Global Issues
- Commonwealth
- Chair Ministerial Oversight Board for FCO Services
Minister of State
Kim Howells MP
Responsibilities include:
- Middle East (including Iraq and Iran)
- Counter Terrorism
- Counter Proliferation
- South America and North America
- Drugs and International Crime
- UK Visas
- Migration Policy
- Leads on Afghanistan/Sub-Continent in Commons
Minister of State
Sir Digby Jones (jointly with the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform)
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State
Meg Munn MP
Responsibilities include:
- Overseas Territories
- Caribbean/Central America
- South East Asia
- Consular policy
- Oversight of UKTI
- Leads on Africa/Asia in Commons
Contact department
You can send an enquiry or comments to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office by filling out an electronic form on their website.
If you wish to write to the FCO please use the following address:
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
King Charles Street
London
SW1A 2AH
Telephone:
- Main switchboard/General enquiries: 020 7270 1500
- Consular enquiries: 020 7008 0232 / 0233
- Travel advice: 0845 850 2829
- Visa enquiries: 020 7008 8438
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