HC Deb 19 December 1955 vol 547 cc244-9W
Mr. Lewis

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs for how many years back he can give details of the visits paid by hon. Members under the direct sponsorship or with the assistance of his Department to foreign, Commonwealth, and colonial countries, of the countries visited and the cost in each case, without incurring too much expenditure in time and labour; and whether he will publish such details in HANSARD.

Mr. Turton

I can append the following details of such visits during the financial years 1953 to 1954 and 1954–55.

A. VISITS UNDER INTER-PARLIAMENTARY UNION AUSPICES
Number of Delegates Destination Dates Cost
£
8 Finland … … 4th–11th May, 1953 562
6 Turkey … … 14th–29th June, 1953 677
4 United States … … 9th–14th October, 1953 880
6 Indonesia and Burma … … 9th–29th January, 1954 2,272
7 Brazil … … 3rd–14th July, 1954 3,051
16 Russia … … 30th September–16th October, 1954 1,963
8 Japan and Siam … … 23rd November–16th December, 1954 4,341
8 Switzerland … … 9th–18th March, 1955 170

B. VISIT IN COMMEMORATION OF THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE "ENTENTE CORDIALE"
Number of Delegates Destination Dates Cost
£
11 France … … … … … 20th-23rd May, 1954 … … … 198

C. VISITS UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE FOREIGN OFFICE INFORMATION DEPARTMENTS
Number of Delegates Destination Dates Cost
£
1 United States 24th September-21st November, 1953 535
1 United States 10th October-23rd November, 1953 535
1 United States and Canada 11th January-15th March, 1954 633
1 United States, Canada and Iceland 11th January-15th March, 1954 502
During the same period eight honourable Members visited Germany under the sponsorship of the Foreign Office Information Departments, for individual visits lasting from one to two weeks, at an average cost of £55 each.

COUNCIL OF EUROPE
Designation Destination Number of Delegates Date Cost
£ s. d.
General Affairs Committee Paris … … 3 April, 1953 99 13 8
Sub-Committee on Simplification of Frontier Formalities for Travellers Dublin … … 1 March-April, 1953 13 0 0
Population and Refugee Committee Paris … … 2 April, 1953 45 17 9
Legal Committee Paris … … 1 April, 1953 22 13 3
Consultative Assembly Strasbourg … … 26 May, 1953 2,190 13 2
Economic Committee Paris … … 1 April, 1953 4 1 8
Working Party on Economic Questions Paris … … 1 June, 1953 29 3 1
Consultative Assembly Strasbourg … … *18 June, 1953 1,131 11 2
Special Committee, Non-Represented Nations Paris … … 2 July, 1953 58 5 2
Municipal and Regional Meeting Bordeaux … … 2 July, 1953 84 7 4
Municipal Affairs Committee Strasbourg … … 1 June, 1953 44 0 2
General Affairs Committee Paris … … 2 July, 1953 46 18 9
Sub-Committee on Frontier Formalities Istanbul … … 1 August, 1953 222 16 10
Consultative Assembly Strasbourg … … *26 September, 1953 2,936 17 0
Television Working Party Strasbourg … … 1 September, 1953 39 10 5
Ad Hoc Committee Paris … … 3 November, 1953 106 5 1

Designation Destination Number of Delegates Date Cost
£ s. d.
Refugee and Population Committee Heidelberg … 1 November, 1953 37 4 5
General Affairs Subcommittee (Saar) Brussels … 1 December, 1953 28 4 1
Economic Questions, Agricultural and Refugees Committee, etc. Paris … 1 December, 1953 60 1 1
Joint Committee Paris … 1 December, 1953 14 15 0
Social Affairs Committee Luxembourg … 4 January, 1954 38 7 6
General Affairs Committee Paris … 3 February, 1954 107 9 6
Standing Committee Strasbourg … 2 February, 1954 75 11 1
Standing Committee Paris … 1 February, 1954 27 16 5
Sub-Committee on German Refugees Germany … 1 April, 1954 49 15 2
Economic Committees Paris … 3 April, 1954 98 15 7
Frontier Formalities Committee Lyons … 1 April, 1954 54 3 5
General Affairs Committee Paris … 3 April, 1954 92 18 3
Legal and Administrative Committees Paris … 2 May, 1954 73 7 6
Consultative Assembly Strasbourg … *27 May-June, 1954 2,898 19 9
Rules of Procedure Committee Strasbourg … 2 July, 1954 69 19 2
General Affairs Committee Paris … 2 July, 1954 82 12 5
Standing Committee Strasbourg … 1 July, 1954 33 5 2
Economic Committee Copenhagen … 3 July-August, 1954 149 12 10
Cultural Committee Working Party Paris … 1 July, 1954 27 8 2
Sub-Committee on Frontiers Copenhagen … 1 August, 1954 52 10 11
Consultative Assembly Strasbourg … *23 September, 1954 2,650 10 9
Cultural Committee Strasbourg … 1 October, 1954 56 14 6
General Affairs Committee Paris … 2 November, 1954 51 6 10
Joint Sub-Committees on Resettlement of Refugees and Surplus Agricultural Workers Rome … 1 November, 1954 86 13 5
General Affairs Committee Paris … 3 November, 1954 91 17 11
Consultative Assembly Strasbourg … *19 December, 1954 1,246 11 8
Working Party on Municipal and Regional Affairs Paris … 1 January, 1955 27 16 9
Cultural Committee Strasbourg … 1 January, 1955 53 1 3
Cultural Committee Paris … 1 February, 1955 7 11 1
(part)
Committee on Non-Represented Nations Paris … 1 July, 1954 45 5 1
General Affairs Committee Paris … 4 March, 1955 78 13 7
(part)
Rules and Procedure Committee Paris … 3 March, 1955 57 14 6
* Includes Members of Her Majesty's Government.

Mr. Lewis

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the estimated expenditure of time and labour required for giving and preparing a list of hon. Members who have, during the past ten years, visited foreign, Commonwealth and colonial countries under the direct sponsorship or assistance of his Department, showing the countries visited; the cost in each case; and the facts on which he bases this estimate.

Mr. Turton

I am not prepared to authorise the expenditure of time and labour required to make this estimate.

Mr. Lewis

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will publish in HANSARD the names of the hon. Members who have, during the period 2nd October to 11th December, visited Denmark, Peru, Iraq, United States of America, Canada and Iceland under the direct sponsorship or with the assistance of his Department.

Mr. Turton

The following is the reply:

VISITS UNDER INTER-PARLIAMENTARY UNION AUSPICES.

Denmark:

  • Sir Jocelyn Lucas, Bt., M.C., M.P.
  • Mr. Anthony Barber, T.D., M.P.
  • Mr. Victor Collins, M.P.
  • Mr. Edward Evans, C.B.E., M.P.
  • Captain H. B. Kerby, M.P.

Peru:

  • Mr. Paul Bryan, D.S.O., M.C., M.P.
  • Mr. John Eden, M.P.
  • Mr. G. S. Lindgren, M.P.
  • Mr. G. H. Oliver, Q.C., M.P.
  • Mr. L. W. B. Teeling, M.P.

Iraq:

  • Lieut.-Colonel W. Schofield, T.D., M.P.
  • Mr. H. Boardman, M.P.
  • Mr. R. F. Crouch, M.P.
  • Major P. H. B. Wall, M.C., M.P.
  • Group Captain C. A. B. Wilcock, O.B.E., AF.C., M.P.

In addition each delegation included one noble Lord.

VISITS UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE FOREIGN OFFICE INFORMATION DEPARTMENTS

United States, Canada and Iceland:

  • Mr. W. M. Vane, M.P.
  • Mr. G. Darling, M.P.