Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the government of Congo to ensure that UK companies are paid for infrastructure works undertaken in Congo on behalf of the Congelese government.

We are aware of a small number of cases where British companies have found it difficult to enforce contracts and secure payment for services provided to state bodies in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Whilst legal channels remain the best route for contractors to pursue unpaid bills, and officials at our Embassy in Kinshasa are unable to become involved in private legal matters, officials have recently formally contacted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kinshasa to draw its attention to an individual case with the aim of highlighting our interest in seeing a timely and fair solution to disputes involving British companies