§ Q14. Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Prime Minister whether the figure of £1,200 expended on the tour of the Colonial Secretary to the Pacific Territories, Hong Kong and Australia between 29th July to 3rd September, 1966, included the costs of the two officials in the party which visited the mid-Pacific Islands and Australia and of those who accompanied him to Hong Kong; and whether it included the costs for the Minister's wife and the subsistence allowance of £565.
§ The Prime MinisterNo. The information I gave my hon. Friend on 1st November related, as I had thought he wished, to Ministers and not to those accompanying them.—[Vol. 735, c. 246.]
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Prime Minister whether, when giving his personal permission for Ministers to make overseas visits and tours, he also ensures that where possible these Ministers travel by British-owned transport and that they 353W use the normal public services available; and why on several occasions during the past few months Ministers have chartered special aircraft when normal services have been readily available.
§ The Prime MinisterIt is already the rule that Ministers should normally travel by scheduled flights of British airlines where such facilities exist. It is not, of course, always possible or practicable to make use of such services and it is sometimes cheaper to use chartered or Service aircraft.