DIPLOMATIC SERVICE
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in which countries and embassies the UK has (a) increased the number of diplomats and (b) opened new diplomatic posts since May 2010. [141774]
Alistair Burt, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is strengthening its diplomatic network significantly, deploying more staff to the fastest growing regions, upgrading existing posts and opening new ones. Nine new posts have been opened or upgraded since May 2010, in the following locations:
| Country | Post | Change | Date |
| Abidjan | Cote d'Ivoire | Political office upgraded to embassy | May 2012 |
| Antananarivo | Madagascar | British interests section upgraded to embassy | October 2012 |
| Bishkek | Kyrgyzstan | New embassy | July 2012 |
| Calgary | Canada | Trade office upgraded to consulate general | September 2012 |
| Hyderabad | India | Trade office upgraded to deputy high commission | June 2012 |
| Juba | South Sudan | New embassy in new sovereign state | July 2011 |
| Recife | Brazil | Trade office upgraded to consulate general | November 2011 |
| San Salvador | El Salvador | New embassy | November 2012 |
| Vientiane | Laos | New embassy | October 2012 |
In addition, we have announced plans to open the following UK diplomatic posts overseas by 2015:
| Post | Country | Type |
| Asuncion | Paraguay | New embassy |
| Chandigarh | India | New deputy high commission |
| Mogadishu | Somalia | New embassy |
| Monrovia | Liberia | Upgrade political office to embassy |
| Port au Prince | Haiti | New embassy |
Details of further posts will be announced once planning is finalised and formal approval has been granted by the host governments.
We are also increasing our frontline diplomatic staff in the following countries:
Algeria;
Angola;
Argentina;
Bahrain;
Bosnia and Herzegovina;
Brazil;
Burma;
Chile;
China;
Colombia;
Egypt;
Ghana;
India;
Indonesia;
Israel;
Jordan;
Kenya;
Kosovo;
Libya;
Malaysia;
Mali;
Mexico;
Mongolia;
North Korea;
Nigeria;
Pakistan;
Panama;
Peru;
Philippines;
Qatar;
Saudi Arabia;
Seychelles;
South Africa;
South Korea;
Thailand;
Tunisia;
Turkey;
UAE;
Uganda;
Vietnam.