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Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Private Education

Asked by Dr Caroline JohnsonConservativeForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled Answered 26 March 2026UIN 122881

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many staff in her Department are in receipt of Continuity of Education Allowance.

Answered by Seema Malhotra

Under the long-standing arrangements for continuity of education, 237 officers received Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) in academic year 2024-25. This figure represents approximately 11 per cent of officers posted overseas. Eligibility for CEA is based on a range of factors that vary over time, so the Department does not hold a centrally maintained figure for the total number of overseas staff who may be eligible for CEA at any given point.

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