Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to ensure that his Department retains the expertise of senior former members of HM Diplomatic Service. [141889]

Mr Lidington, Minister of State: When the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), set out his vision of the future of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) on 8 September 2011, he emphasised the importance of cultivating and retaining the knowledge and expertise of senior FCO alumni. He also announced the decision to set up a new ‘Locarno Group' of former ambassadors and other senior former members of HM Diplomatic Service. Together they combine a broad range of strategic policy-making experience with expertise in specific areas relevant to current foreign policy priorities. Members provide valuable assistance in the development and implementation of foreign policy and perform a challenge role: an external check on the direction of the FCO's foreign policy in specific areas key to our national interest. They perform these functions both in Locarno Group meetings and to the rest of the FCO. The Group's discussions are treated as confidential advice to Ministers.

Since its creation, the Secretary of State has held four meetings of the Locarno Group, most recently on 30 January 2013. Updated terms of reference for the Group (including membership) were placed in the Library of the House on 13 December 2012.

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