This report is the Committee's annual review of how the FCO is managing its resources, examining the departmental annual report for 2007-08 (Cm. 7398, ISBN 9780101739825). Chapters cover: new strategic framework; performance measurement; global network; essential services; FCO Services; personnel issues; transparency and openness; financial management; public diplomacy and communication; the British Council; the BBC World Service. The Committee is concerned that the FCO is facing serious financial pressures in this financial year due to the Treasury's withdrawal of its support for the Overseas Pricing Mechanism (OPM) which used to protect departments from the weakening of sterling. There is a risk that the FCO may not be able to meet higher international subscriptions over the next two financial years, causing its performance against Public Service Agreement targets to suffer. The likely increase in the UN Regular Budget and other international subscriptions will push this figure even higher. The FCO should have to shoulder the financial burden from within its already tight budget to pay for subscriptions which also benefit other Government departments. The Committee recommends that additional nondiscretionary costs should properly be met by the Treasury.

... describes the process of planning and conducting an annual shareholders' meeting for a public corporation. After discussing the general statutory basis for the meeting, the portfolio explains the legal requirements for an annual meeting and discusses various practical and logistical issues to consider before, during, and after the meeting.

The Human rights annual report 2007 from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office published as Command paper Cm. 7340 (ISBN 9780101734028)

After a year in which prisons held a record number of prisoners, the prison system remains under pressure, and important lessons must be learnt if prisons are to be safe and effective. Despite sustained and chronic pressure, the report recognises progress over the past year. Overall, the Inspectorate's assessments of prisons inspected last year were more positive than those of prisons inspected the previous year, particularly in resettlement work. The number of self-inflicted deaths also decreased last year. The Chief Inspector identifies a number of warning signs, and new concerns: growing concerns about safety, particularly in dispersal prisons and young offender institutions, and rates of self-harm among women; unsuitable, cramped or unhygienic accommodation in some prisons; difficulties in complying with duties under the Disability Discrimination Act, and other equality duties; low activity levels in too many training prisons; the growing problem of alcohol misuse and the limited investment in this in prisons or the community; the potential effect of the recession on prisoners' employment and resettlement prospects. The report also refers to the inspection of immigration detention and the new inspection programme on police custody. Immigration removal centres were, on the whole, less safe and respectful than those inspected last year, though activity and welfare support had improved. The detention of children remains a major concern and is ripe for review. Inspections of police custody, jointly with the Inspectorate of Constabulary, have confirmed much good practice, but also revealed some deficiencies.

A comprehensive report on OECD activities in 2006-2007.

Dated June 2007. Supplied via TSO's On-Demand Publishing Service