Written Question
Monday 22nd April 2024
Asked by:
Lord Scriven (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question
to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether Bahrain has paid for the flights or accommodation of any Minister visiting that country in the past four years; and if so, who the Ministers were, what were the reasons for their visits, and the cost of (1) the flights, and (2) the accommodation.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
- Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We do not hold this information on behalf of HMG; it is held by each Government department for their own ministers. In the case of FCDO Ministers, we do not hold this information centrally and it could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
The FCDO publishes details of FCDO Ministers' meetings with external organisations, gifts (given and received), hospitality and overseas travel every quarter. This information can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/fcdo-ministerial-gifts-hospitality-travel-and-meetings.
Written Question
Friday 8th December 2023
Asked by:
Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
Question
to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, pursuant to the Answer of 15 November 2023 to Question 317 on Bahrain: Human Rights, what data his Department holds on the support that (a) civil society organisations and (b) journalists have received through the Gulf Strategy Fund.
Answered by David Rutley
- Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Information about Gulf Strategy Fund (GSF) projects delivered by the British Embassy in Bahrain in FY 22/23 is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/official-development-assistance-oda-fcdo-international-programme-spend-objectives-2022-to-2023/fcdo-gulf-strategy-fund-gsf#:~:text=Supports%20delivery%20of%20a%20safe,around%20the%20World%20Cup%2022. The FCDO remains committed to supporting reform in Bahrain, including through projects delivered via the GSF.
Written Question
Thursday 25th January 2024
Asked by:
Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question
to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether UK assets in Bahrain have assisted (a) UK and (b) US airstrikes in Yemen since 11 January 2024.
Answered by James Heappey
No.
MP Financial Interest
David Davis (Conservative - Haltemprice and Howden)
Original Source (15th April 2024)
4. Visits outside the UK
Name of donor: (1) Bahrain Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2) International Institute for Strategic Studies, Middle East
Address of donor: (1) PO Box 547, Government Road, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain (2) 14th Floor, GFH Tower, Bahrain Financial Harbour, Building 1411, Road 4625, Manama 346, Kingdom of Bahrain
Estimate of the probable value (or amount of any donation): (1) Transportation (£701.01), accommodation (£540) and dinners/hospitality (£163), value £1,404.01 (2) Transportation (£25) and hospitality (£24.50), value £59.50
Destination of visit: Bahrain
Dates of visit: 17 November 2023 to 19 November 2023
Purpose of visit: Attending International Institute for Strategic Studies Manama Dialogue 2023 as part of a Conservative Middle East Council delegation.
(Registered 5 December 2023)
MP Financial Interest
Royston Smith (Conservative - Southampton, Itchen)
Original Source (15th April 2024)
4. Visits outside the UK
Name of donor: (1) Bahrain Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2) International Institute for Strategic Studies, Middle East
Address of donor: (1) PO Box 547, Government Road, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain (2) 14th Floor, GFH Tower, Bahrain Financial Harbour, Building 1411, Road 4625, Manama 346, Kingdom of Bahrain
Estimate of the probable value (or amount of any donation): (1) Transportation (£701.01), accommodation (£540) and dinners/hospitality (£163), value £1,404.01 (2) Transportation (£25) and hospitality (£24.50), value £59.50
Destination of visit: Bahrain
Dates of visit: 17 November 2023 to 19 November 2023
Purpose of visit: Attending International Institute for Strategic Studies Manama Dialogue 2023 as part of a Conservative Middle East Council delegation.
(Registered 5 December 2023)
MP Financial Interest
Bob Seely (Conservative - Isle of Wight)
Original Source (15th April 2024)
4. Visits outside the UK
Name of donor: (1) Bahrain Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2) International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), Middle East
Address of donor: (1) PO Box 547, Government Road, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain (2) 14th Floor, GFH Tower, Bahrain Financial Harbour, Building 1411, Road 4626, Manama 346, Kingdom of Bahrain
Estimate of the probable value (or amount of any donation): (1) Transportation (£701.01), accommodation (£540), dinners/hospitality (£163), value £1,404.01 (2) Transportation (£35), dinners/hospitality (£24.50), value £59.50
Destination of visit: Bahrain
Dates of visit: 17 November 2023 to 19 November 2023
Purpose of visit: Attending IISS Manama Dialogue 2023 as part of the Conservative Middle East Council delegation.
(Registered 13 December 2023)
MP Financial Interest
James Sunderland (Conservative - Bracknell)
Original Source (15th April 2024)
4. Visits outside the UK
Name of donor: HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa - Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain
Address of donor: c/o Embassy of Bahrain, 30 Belgrave Square, London SW1X 8QB
Estimate of the probable value (or amount of any donation): Return flights, three nights’ hotel accommodation and entry to the Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix 2023 (value is estimated), value £9,500
Destination of visit: Bahrain
Dates of visit: 3 March 2023 to 6 March 2023
Purpose of visit: Invited as Co-Chairman of APPG on Motorsport - visit included multiple meetings with senior Ministers from Bahrain Government, Formula 1 and individual race teams to discuss pressing international and domestic issues in motorsport.
(Registered 5 April 2023)
MP Financial Interest
Bob Stewart (Conservative - Beckenham)
Original Source (15th April 2024)
4. Visits outside the UK
Name of donor: Government of Bahrain
Address of donor: Bahrain Embassy, 30 Belgrave Square, London SW1X 8QB
Estimate of the probable value (or amount of any donation): Flights (£649.66), accommodation (£428) and meals (£167.90), value £1,245.56
Destination of visit: Bahrain
Dates of visit: 8 November 2022 to 12 November 2022
Purpose of visit: Visit to Bahrain Air Show and meeting with Foreign Minister.
(Registered 30 November 2022)
Written Question
Thursday 19th October 2023
Asked by:
Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question
to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the press release by the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy entitled Bahrain convicts 13 political prisoners in a mass trial amid credible torture allegations, published on 28 September 2023, whether his Department holds information on alleged use of (a) mass trials and (b) torture in Bahrain; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by David Rutley
- Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The FCDO is aware of reporting about the court proceedings referenced in the press release. We have previously been assured in other cases (where individuals linked to one charge are tried together) that an individual's right to separate legal representation of their choice is guaranteed by law. We continue to encourage allegations of torture or mistreatment to be reported to the appropriate national oversight body whose duty it is to carry out full and independent investigations into such claims.
Written Question
Wednesday 6th December 2023
Asked by:
Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question
to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the sources of funding for the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy for their activities in the UK.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
- Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office does not routinely make funding assessments on the UK not-for profit sector and has, therefore, not made any such assessment regarding the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy.