'Extremely concerned' | Government warned 2,000 Foreign Office job cuts could put 'lives at risk' & cause staff exodus

Plans to cut 2,000 UK roles at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) may breach the department’s obligations to its workforce, cause an exodus of staff and put lives at risk, the Chair of the International Development Committee has said.

In a letter to the Foreign Secretary, the Chair, Sarah Champion MP, calls for an immediate pause to the cuts amid concerns that the proposed changes are being made “far too fast” and without prioritising either the best interests of staff or the department’s core objectives. 

The letter follows a Committee session which heard evidence from the PCS union and international development experts on the likely impact of the FCDO’s plans to reduce its workforce by up to 25%. 

In the letter, the Chair raises concern about the lack of any Workforce Plan, impact assessment or skills audit to provide the evidence base for staffing changes. Most concerning, she says, is the apparent lack of ministerial oversight.