David Burrowes MP: Foreign trips and rule breaches

David Burrowes is MP for Enfield and Southgate

A BBC investigation has revealed that more than 20 MPs have breached rules in relation to registering and declaring overseas trips paid for by foreign governments.

The trips taken by David Burrowes, his relevant parliamentary activities and his reply to the BBC are below.

Israel

The Conservative MP for the Enfield Southgate constituency in north London visited Israel in January 2006 on a trip paid for by the Conservative Friends of Israel and the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

On 13 February 2006, Mr Burrowes tabled a question about the Palestinian group Hamas without declaring an interest.

On 18 January 2006, Mr Burrowes participated in a debate entitled Palestinian Territories (Israeli Policy). While he declared he had recently been on a trip to Israel funded by the Conservative Friends of Israel, he did not declare that the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs had contributed towards the trip.

On 4 July 2006 Mr Burrowes participated in a debate entitled Israel (War against Terror) during which he again declared that he had been on a trip to Israel funded by the Conservative Friends of Israel but did not declare the contribution of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Mr Burrrowes also signed the following early day motions without declaring an interest:

1. ISRAELI HOSTAGES / 15.11.2006 / EDM 24

2. BBC'S COVERAGE OF CONFLICT IN ISRAEL AND LEBANON / 24.07.2006 / EDM 2626

Reply

Mr Burrowes replied to the BBC saying: "I asked a parliamentary question and signed two early day motions (EDMs) relating to Israel but did not make the requisite declaration."

He added that his visit to Israel had been properly declared to the Register of Members' Interests and continued: "I made proper reference to my visit during debates. However I realise now that I should have noted an interest with respect to the question and EDMs and have notified the Registrar of Members' Interests of the position."

Other MPs who have breached the rules:

David Amess Norman Baker Crispin Blunt Graham Brady Colin Breed Andrew Dismore Jim Dobbin Alan Duncan Liam Fox Mike Hancock Lindsay Hoyle

Paul Keetch Bob Laxton David Lepper Andrew Love Madeleine Moon Mike Penning Andrew Rosindell Richard Spring Theresa Villiers Rudi Vis

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