Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to his Department’s publication of electronic purchasing card spending over £500 for 2021, what goods or services were purchased under the category Computer Equipment and Services from (a) Manta Air Maldives on 5 October 2021, and (b) The Marina at Crossroads Maldives on 12 December 2021.

These costs do not relate to the purchase of computer equipment. Merchant Category Codes (MCC) can sometimes be wrongly assigned by the merchant's card company. When transactions are approved in our system, we are not provided with the Merchant Category Codes (MCC), only the merchant's name, date, and the value. Correct MCC assignment is the responsibility of the merchant and has no bearing on the validity of the transaction.

The Manta Air expenditure relates to local flights for UK experts deployed to the Maldives to deliver underwater counter-terrorism training at the Maldives Police Academy. Manta Air offered the best value and the expenditure was subject to normal FCDO controls.

The Marina at Crossroads expenditure relates to a UK-hosted diplomatic event with key Maldivian government contacts. The Marina was chosen as our High Commission does not have a residence equipped to host such events. It is recognised across the UK Government that the exchange of hospitality has long been an important part of building relations, particularly overseas.