Written question asked by James McMurdock (Independent (affiliation)) on Monday, 12 January 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 14 January 2026. It was answered by Stephen Doughty (Labour) on Thursday, 15 January 2026 on behalf of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Belgium: Embassies

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the British Embassy in Brussels' press release entitled Diplomat for a Day 2026 in Brussels: enter our competition' published on 9 January 2026, what estimate her Department has made of the cost to UK taxpayers of this initiative.

Answer: The work experience competition referred to by the Hon Member is in its fourth year in Belgium, run by the UK embassy alongside their counterparts from Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the Netherlands, and not only provides an outstanding opportunity for the young women selected to take part, but an important means for the embassies involved to engage with high schools across their host country, and cement our strong relationships in that country for the future. The competition is delivered at minimal cost, shared across the four embassies, and while the Hon Member may take a different view, we believe in increasing the opportunities available to young women all over the world to play their full part in public life.

Secondary information