Ministers won't say how £20m of taxpayers' money is being spent on "tackling radicalisation"

By Paul Goodman MP.

CentreRight readers may remember that I’m pursuing Hazel Blears about exactly how £12 million pounds of taxpayers’ money has been spent this year – in relation to the Preventing Violent Extremism programme.

She’s now promised to provide the information “around the end of April”.  We shall see.

In the meantime, I’ve asked the Foreign Office in a written Parliamentary question exactly where another £20 million of taxpapers’ money has gone.  This sum is apparently “tackling radicalisation and promoting understanding overseas” this year.

Bill Rammell, a Foreign Office Minister, has replied that he won’t answer the question “in order to protect the safety and security of organisations delivering sensitive projects overseas”.

I accept that such organisations could well need their security and safety protected in many circumstances.

But I ask a question.  Is is more likely...

That revealing where a single penny of that £20 million has gone would compromise safety and security?

- or -

That Ministers don’t want taxpayers to know how their money’s being spent?