Publication scheme
The publication scheme specifies the categories of information that the department and its agencies publish and explains how to get that information.
The Freedom of Information Act requires us to tell members of the public how they can find information that is routinely made available. More information about this requirement can be found on the Information Commissioner’s Office website. We have formally adopted the model publication scheme.
We publish the majority of our information on this website, and specific documents can be found using the publication search.
If the information you want is not routinely published, you can make a request for it under the Freedom of Information Act. Where the information is published elsewhere you will find the required link in the list below.
Classes of information
Who we are and what we do
Most of this information can be found on our department page and includes:
- organisational structure – ministers, the FCO Board, Permanent Under-Secretary
- working in partnership – stakeholder groups, international organisations, non-departmental public bodies
- legislation relevant to the FCO’s functions
- treaties
- answers to Parliamentary Questions published by UK Parliament
What we spend and how we spend it
This can be found using a search of all our transparency data, and includes:
- financial statements, budgets and variance reports, published by HM Treasury
- spend in the UK for transactions over £25,000
- exceptions data
- quarterly returns by ministers, special advisers and the Permanent Under Secretary
- staff and salary data
- tax arrangements of public sector appointees
- capital programme
- spending reviews
- senior staff and board members’ allowances and expenses
- ministerial expenditure
- pay and grading structures
- procurement procedures
- contracts awarded and their value
- financial statements for projects and events
- internal financial regulations
- financial audit reports published by the National Audit Office
What our priorities are and how we are doing
This includes:
- FCO’s single departmental plan
- continuous improvement strategy
- consular data
- annual report
- internal and external organisation performance reviews
- performance reports to Parliament
- inspection reports
- impact assessments
- service standards
- statistics
- public service agreements
How we make decisions
This includes:
- major policy proposals and decisions
- public consultations
- minutes of senior-level meetings
Our policies and procedures
This includes:
- conducting departmental business [published by the Civil Service]
- delivering our services
- recruiting and employing staff
- customer service
- records management and personal data policies
- charging regimes and policies
Lists and registers
This includes:
- public registers and registers held as public records
- asset registers and information asset register
- disclosure logs
- register of gifts and hospitality provided to ministers and senior personnel
- any register of interests kept in the department
- other lists required by law
Crown copyright and licensing
Most documents supplied by the FCO will have been produced by government officials and will be protected by Crown copyright.
You may re-use the Crown copyright protected material (not including the Royal Arms and other departmental or agency logos) free of charge in any format for non-commercial research, private study or internal circulation within your organisation. The material must be acknowledged as Crown copyright and you must give the title of the source document/publication.
Please see The National Archives website for information on Crown copyright policy.
All the content on this website is under the Open Government Licence, except where otherwise stated.
Information supplied to you continues to be protected by the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. Therefore information you receive which is not subject to Crown copyright continues to be protected by the copyright of the person, or organisation, from which the information originated. You must ensure that you gain their permission before reproducing any third party (non-Crown copyright) information.