The FCDO and the Integrated Review

Foreign Affairs Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 20 Mar 2020 Closed: 13 Jan 2021 Parliament page
When the Government announced the ‘Integrated Review of foreign policy, defence, security and development’ in February 2020, it was described as the largest foreign-policy review since the Cold War: examining the UK’s objectives abroad, and aiming to establish the country as a “problem-solving and burden-sharing nation”. The Review, according to … Read more
6 Recommendations
13 Conclusions
1 Report
4 Oral sessions
1 Letter
5 Events
Activity timeline 12 events
13 Jan
2021
Report published
22 Oct
2020
Report published
22 Sep
2020
Oral evidence
22 Sep
2020
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 6, Palace of Westminster
21 Jul
2020
Oral evidence
21 Jul
2020
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Wilson Room, Portcullis House
14 Jul
2020
Correspondence
18 Jun
2020
Oral evidence
18 Jun
2020
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Wilson Room, Portcullis House
9 Jun
2020
Formal meeting · Virtual meeting
19 May
2020
Oral evidence
19 May
2020
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Virtual meeting
Oral evidence sessions 4 sessions
22 Sep 2020
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Foreign Affairs Committee
Ambassador-at-Large Prof. Chan Heng Chee Koji Tsuruoka
21 Jul 2020
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THE FCO AND THE INTEGRATED REVIEW
Juan Manuel Santos Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein
18 Jun 2020
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The FCO and the Integrated Review
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
19 May 2020
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The implications of Covid-19 for the Integrated Review
Rt Hon Lord Hague of Richmond · Foreign and Commonwealth Office Samantha Power · United Nations
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Fourth Report: A brave new Britain? The future of the UK’s inter… HC 380 22 Oct 2020 19 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
19 results
1 Conclusion
Fourth Report: A brave new Britain…
The Integrated Review is a timely and necessary response to a world characterised by ever-strengthening...
The Integrated Review is a timely and necessary response to a world characterised by ever-strengthening interconnection and rapid technological change.
Government Response
1.1 We agree with the Committee’s assessment that this is the right time for the Integrated Review. The Review is an opportunity to define and strengthen our place in the … Read more
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
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2 Conclusion
Fourth Report: A brave new Britain…
The world is increasingly riven by global competition rather than cooperation.
The world is increasingly riven by global competition rather than cooperation.
Government Response
2.1 We agree that geopolitical change and competition are major global trends. Western democracies’ share of economic power has declined: the G7’s share of world GDP in 1975 was 62%; … Read more
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
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3 Conclusion
Fourth Report: A brave new Britain…
In part, this global competition is driven by geo–political change.
In part, this global competition is driven by geo–political change. But this global competition is also a battle between competing visions and mindsets. And the global competition is increasingly one between different technical systems.
Government Response
3.1 The growing complexity within the international system makes addressing transnational challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic, increasingly difficult. Despite this, there have been positive aspects to the multilateral response … Read more
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
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4 Conclusion
Fourth Report: A brave new Britain…
Such competition has stalled, and to some degree reversed, cooperation through multilateral organisations.
Such competition has stalled, and to some degree reversed, cooperation through multilateral organisations. The drive towards international arbitration is increasingly challenged by great power rivalry and influence projection. The world lacks consensus-building leadership. Global divides are widening, and there is … Read more
Government Response
4.1 We agree that there is increasing geo-political friction. The open international order that the UK co-founded 75 years ago is being contested. The UK is committed to the international … Read more
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
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5 Conclusion
Fourth Report: A brave new Britain…
An increasingly assertive and revisionist China has created geo-political friction with a more introspective United...
An increasingly assertive and revisionist China has created geo-political friction with a more introspective United States. China and Russia, as leading authoritarian and revisionist powers, have also been more adept than their ideological rivals at realising where their capacity for … Read more
Government Response
4.1 We agree that there is increasing geo-political friction. The open international order that the UK co-founded 75 years ago is being contested. The UK is committed to the international … Read more
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
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6 Conclusion
Fourth Report: A brave new Britain…
The UK’s own international policy has been adrift.
The UK’s own international policy has been adrift. It has lacked clarity.
Government Response
6.1 The UK will continue to be a leading voice in upholding and defending the rule of law, democracy, global free trade and human rights. We will continue to call … Read more
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
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7 Conclusion
Fourth Report: A brave new Britain…
It has also lacked confidence.
It has also lacked confidence. Our contributors the world over were clear that the UK has recently appeared less ambitious and more absent in its global role
Government Response
7.1 We disagree with the claim that Britain abroad is less than the sum of its parts. The Prime Minister has set out his ambition to reform the way that … Read more
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
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8 Conclusion
Fourth Report: A brave new Britain…
None of our contributors wanted the UK to stand back or keep quiet.
None of our contributors wanted the UK to stand back or keep quiet. All of them urged the UK to step up, do more, and play a more impactful role in the world. They highlighted the positive contribution that the … Read more
Government Response
8.1 As the Prime Minister stated on 19 November, the Integrated Review will be published in the new year. It will define the long-term strategic aims for our national security … Read more
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
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9 Conclusion
Fourth Report: A brave new Britain…
The UK has good reason to be confident in the capabilities of the Foreign, Commonwealth...
The UK has good reason to be confident in the capabilities of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), which were praised by contributors from around the world.
Government Response
9.1 We agree that our diplomatic resourcing should be led by our strategic foreign policy priorities, and it is these that determine our resourcing decisions. The FCDO secured a £65 … Read more
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
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10 Conclusion
Fourth Report: A brave new Britain…
The UK has a strong capacity to use its memberships and influence to bring countries...
The UK has a strong capacity to use its memberships and influence to bring countries together in dialogue. Contributors also admired the UK as a pragmatic country whose thought leadership, and the legal drafting capabilities of the FCDO’s lawyers, can … Read more
Government Response
10.1 The UK’s G7 Presidency and COP26 next year will provide two significant platforms to work with others to address global challenges, while projecting UK values and advancing our national … Read more
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
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11 Conclusion
Fourth Report: A brave new Britain…
But the UK will have the greatest impact abroad if it uses its range of...
But the UK will have the greatest impact abroad if it uses its range of assets and capabilities coherently. It is unlikely that the merger of the Department for A brave new Britain? The future of the UK’s international policy … Read more
Government Response
11.1 The Committee is correct to note the changing character of threats to UK interests. In an uncertain world, our ability as a nation to prepare for, withstand and recover … Read more
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
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12 Recommendation
Fourth Report: A brave new Britain…
The Integrated Review must address a lack of clear strategic vision, a lack of confidence,...
The Integrated Review must address a lack of clear strategic vision, a lack of confidence, and lack of coherent implementation that has undermined recent international policy by the UK. The Review should respond, and be seen to respond, to the … Read more
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
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13 Recommendation
Fourth Report: A brave new Britain…
The UK intends to prioritise its promotion of trade, and trade policy has the capacity...
The UK intends to prioritise its promotion of trade, and trade policy has the capacity to become a significant aspect of the UK’s international influence. But, if it is not coordinated with other UK priorities abroad, then the elevation of … Read more
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
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14 Recommendation
Fourth Report: A brave new Britain…
We recommend that, as part of its problem-solving and burden sharing role, the FCDO prioritises...
We recommend that, as part of its problem-solving and burden sharing role, the FCDO prioritises mediation, conflict resolution, and atrocity prevention. And we recommend that the Government equips the FCDO with an enhanced and institutionalised capability to coordinate with the … Read more
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
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15 Recommendation
Fourth Report: A brave new Britain…
Soft power is key to the UK’s international influence.
Soft power is key to the UK’s international influence. It is about much more than culture: the way it is used by some nations suggests it is the entire capability of the state short of war, for others it is … Read more
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
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16 Recommendation
Fourth Report: A brave new Britain…
We recommend that the UK convene and catalyse negotiations to reform multinational organisations: seeking to...
We recommend that the UK convene and catalyse negotiations to reform multinational organisations: seeking to maintain their relevance and their benefit for all rather A brave new Britain? The future of the UK’s international policy 21 than a few. Our … Read more
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
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17 Conclusion
Fourth Report: A brave new Britain…
The UK should use its convening power and thought leadership to bring together nimble networks...
The UK should use its convening power and thought leadership to bring together nimble networks of like-minded nations by agreeing a baseline for cooperation between them. These coalitions would be open, issue-based, fleet-footed, overlapping, and even temporary: a ‘vari-lateral’ system. Read more
Government Response
17.1 We agree with the Committee’s recommendation. We have already been working to convene and catalyse negotiations to reform multinational organisations such as the UN’s Committees and Executive Boards, NATO, … Read more
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
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18 Conclusion
Fourth Report: A brave new Britain…
We welcome the Government’s commitment to make global health security and working to counter climate...
We welcome the Government’s commitment to make global health security and working to counter climate change priorities within the UK’s international policy. Our Committee will examine these subject areas through its inquiries into ‘Environmental diplomacy’ and ‘Global health security’. Read more
Government Response
18.1 We agree that the UK should be agile and flexible in its approach to partnerships. We will be pragmatic and open minded, working with countries with whom we find … Read more
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
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19 Recommendation
Fourth Report: A brave new Britain…
We recommend that: i) The UK use its convening power and thought leadership to seek...
We recommend that: i) The UK use its convening power and thought leadership to seek agreement for regulations relating to frontier sectors such as emerging technologies, the cyber and space domains: mitigating threats by agreeing standards and allowing states instead … Read more
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
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Correspondence 1 letter
14 Jul 2020 Joint Correspondence to the Prime Minister, concerning the Integrated Security, Defence and Foreign Policy Review
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