The Foreign Affairs Committee has launched an inquiry into the quality of consular services provided to British citizens in need abroad.
It has invited UK nationals to report on their experiences of consular services in three key areas: from those who have been in difficulty or distress abroad, those who have been involved in large-scale events and crises, and expats who have received routine consular services.
The Committee says it wants to hear personal experiences of those who have used the FCO’s consular services.
Anyone wishing to express a view is being encouraged to visit a web forum on the UK Parliament website which opened on Jan 28 and runs until Feb 11.
The Committee says it is “investigating, in particular, how the UK’s consular services compare to those of other similar states”, if their services meet the legitimate expectations of the UK public, and its response to people in great difficulty along with other aspects, including its responses to crises.
Moreover, it states that its aim is to provide ‘the best consular service in the world’ by 2016.
A spokesman for the committee explained: "You might have received British consular help under a number of different circumstances; for example, the loss of a passport or the need for medical treatment and evacuation. Or you may have had to cope with the death of a relative, arrest or imprisonment, hostage taking, child abduction or even a general evacuation of UK nationals in a national crisis."
He said the committee would like to know whether it was easy to get in touch with UK consular services, and how staff responded. It also wants to know whether expectations were met – and how things could be improved.
In 2012, the FCO dealt with over 1 million general consular enquiries and over 100,000 consular cases, including over 20,000 cases requiring consular assistance.
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