Foreign Policy Work by Non-public Bodies: Government Grants

HL Deb 21 March 2002 vol 632 c164WA

Lord Lamont of Lerwick

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Which foreign policy think tanks have received grants from the Government over the past five years; and what was the amount of money in each case. [HL3284]

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not award "grant-in-aid" to "foreign policy think tanks". But grant-in-aid is awarded to other non-public bodies involved in foreign policy work, including the British-Russia Centre, the British East-West Centre, the Westminster Foundation for Democracy, the British Association for Central and Eastern Europe and the Great Britain-China Centre. The FCO also pays for corporate membership of some foreign policy institutions (including "think tanks") and sponsors individual conferences and events in support of FCO objectives. As to the Royal Institute of International Affairs and the Foreign Policy Centre, I refer the noble Lord to Answers which my noble friend Lady Amos gave him on 18 March,Official Report, WA 117–18.