Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office written question – answered at on 4 March 2026.
Mike Wood
Opposition Whip (Commons), Shadow Minister (Cabinet Office)
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the press release entitled Dr Christian Turner CMG appointed as His Majesty’s Ambassador to the United States of America, of 18 December 2025, whether Dr Turner was a Direct Ministerial Appointment; and whether he was appointed by open and fair competition.
Seema Malhotra
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities), Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Dr Turner was appointed following an open, fair and competitive recruitment process.
Yes0 people think so
No0 people think not
Would you like to ask a question like this yourself? Use our Freedom of Information site.
Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
