The mystery over government spending at the Canaries online shop has been solved, with 31 shirts bought by the Foreign Office.

While former prime minister Liz Truss was foreign secretary, payments of £1,318 in October 2021 and £523 in March 2022 were made to the Norwich City Football Club, totalling £1,841.

A Freedom of Information request has now revealed that the department bought 15 men's home shirts and 14 women's home shirts along with two goalkeeper shirts and various shorts and socks.

The purchases were bought as one of 12 sets of Premier League kits for what the department called an "overseas 'shared values programme'.

Approached for comment on what “overseas shared values children’s project” was being referred to - and why it was necessary to purchase almost £2,000 worth of Norwich City merchandise for it - a Foreign Office spokesman said they had nothing further to add.

The FOI added that Canaries fan and South West Norfolk MP Ms Truss did not make the purchases herself but they were approved by a department officer with "delegated spending authority".

At around the time of the October payment, Ms Truss was meeting with leaders in the Gulf, while on March 21, she was in Ukraine meeting with the country's defence minister.

The issue was raised in September by Labour MP Emily Thornberry, who wrote to the Foreign Office asking why the department had spent money on items such as "high-end private catering; wellness and beauty treatments; extensive supplies from UK wineries; large amounts of home furnishing; and even £1,841 at the Norwich City club shop".

The department said initially: “We are committed to using public money responsibly.

"Our staff follow set guidelines to ensure purchases are appropriate and achieve value for money for the taxpayer.”

In a formal parliamentary question following up on her letter, Ms Thornberry asked the department whether the “normal assurance checks on the use of government procurement cards” had been followed.

Conservative MP and former Foreign Office minister Gillian Keegan said the payments were in line with card policy.

Norwich City said it would not be commenting on the purchases.