Written Question·Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office·UIN 66657
Civil Servants: Resignations
Tabled: 10 July 2025
Answered: 17 July 2025
Question
Mr Richard Holden
Conservative — Basildon and Billericay
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has issued guidance to civil servants on resigning if they disagree with government policy.
Answer
Catherine WestThe Foreign Secretary has not issued guidance to staff on this matter. The Permanent Under-Secretaries did respond to a series of letters from a group of staff to the Foreign Secretary raising concerns about the UK's Middle East policy, however, setting out the many avenues and options available to staff who have concerns about the UK Government's policy, particularly in relation to the Civil Service Code.