A report from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) today confirmed the activities that were performed by the Foreign Office and the consular section of the British Embassy in Luxembourg in 2014/15, revealing a total of more than 17,000 British nationals were given serious assistance abroad during this period.
The new Helping British Nationals Abroad report also showed that a global network of British embassies, high commissions and consulates handled over 470,000 enquiries, with FCO staff issuing 37,890 emergency travel documents to allow British nationals return to the UK and supporting Brits abroad in 15 crisis situations across the world.
The report was published at a time when British nationals are said to be travelling more often, with over 60 million trips overseas made by these nationals and more than 5 million estimated to live abroad.
Grant Shapps, Minister for Consular Affairs, launched the report today as he visited the British Consulate and Global Contact Centre in Malaga to meet consular staff at the frontline of supporting British people abroad. He commented:
"Every day our dedicated staff are out helping British nationals across the globe. From making hospital visits and contacting friends and family in the UK, through to supporting grieving families or providing emergency travel documents so people can get home."
Speaking on the report for the year 2014/15, he added: "This report provides an insight into what consular staff do every day. But it also offers important advice on how people can take responsibility for their own safety abroad, from checking the FCO travel advice and taking out comprehensive travel insurance to researching the country and health risks before travelling. Most of us can look forward to a fantastic, trouble-free holiday this summer. But for those who do find themselves in difficulty, the FCO will continue to provide a crucial source of support."
Certain trends were perceptible in the report, with a 12% fall in arrests and an 11% decrease in reported deaths. Hospitalisations grew by 3%, whilst mental health cases were found to have increased almost 50% in the last five years, making this area a subject of increasing focus for consular staff.
A total of 17,058 British nationals were provided with serious consular assistance from the FCO from 1 April 2014 to 21 March 2015, which marked a decrease of more than 2% with regards to the previous year. Among these were 3,670 deaths, 4,770 arrests, 252 reported rape and sexual assault cases and 499 mental health cases.
In Australia, drug arrests fell by 39% as compared to 63% in Canada, with other countries instead experiencing a rise in these kind of cases. Spain represented the country where the highest volume of cases involving British nationals with mental health needs were recorded, followed by France and the USA.
The FCO is involved in a variety of assistance activities, including the provision of information on transferring money, contact mediation between the concerned person and friends and family at home; help in cases of forced marriage; information on local lawyers, translators, doctors or funeral directors; help in the event of a rape or sexual or physical assult; and assistance to people affected by parental child abduction.
The FCO also holds a 'Know Before You Go' campaign, which works with more than 400 travel industry partners to offer advice and recommendations to a wide and varied audience.
