Prince Andrew still making taxpayer funded business trips

Prince Andrew has come under fire for continuing to take taxpayer funded business trips, despite giving up his role as Special Representative for International Trade and Investment last year.

Prince Andrew has come under fire for continuing to take taxpayer funded business trips.

The British prince has been blasted for making trips to the Middle East and China, despite giving up his post as the UK Special Representative for International Trade and Investment last July amidst a series of scandals.

Among his engagements, revealed yesterday (30.01.12), have been meetings with the emir of Qatar and the crown prince of Abu Dhabi, the prime minister of Malaysia and the presidents of Panama and Mongolia.

The prince has also come under fire for meeting with the King of Bahrain, as the Middle Eastern state's human rights record has been called into question in the last year, after uprisings and protests.

Labour Member of Parliament, Chris Bryant told The Guardian newspaper: "Last year, after a hail of criticism, they let it be known they were dispensing with the Duke of York's services, but now it seems to be business as usual. There should be no secrecy about whether the British taxpayer is paying for the duke's travel."

When Andrew stood down from special representative role, he said he was planning to focus on developing business and technology skills in the UK, adding his special representative role had "served its purpose and is no longer necessary."

Buckingham Palace defended the duke, saying: "HRH will not have a specialist role as defined by government but will undertake trade engagements if requested."