Bloated diplomats

You report “FO budget cuts judged detrimental” (13 April) and that Westminster’s foreign affairs committee had carried out its annual review “praising its ‘impressive’ work done within tight financial considerations”.

However, the impression from the sidelines is that the diplomatic core is still bloated, anachronistic and not fit for purpose for the 21st century.

For example, we have more than 700 diplomats in Pakistan – but not one of them was made available to assist in the repatriation of the body of Paul McBride, QC. It is hard to imagine what activities took priority over this.

MICHAEL N CROSBY

Muiravonside, By Linlithgow

West Lothian