§ Mr. Sproatasked the Secretary of State for Energy, further to his answer to the hon. Member for Aberdeen, South on 11th January 1978 that he was unable to say how many journeys had been made by civil servants of his department to other parts of the EEC on business consequent on the United Kingdom's membership of the EEC, he will now take steps to discover and publish this information in the Official Report, together with the cost of these journeys.
§ Mr. Benn,pursuant to the reply [Offical Report, 1st February 1978; Vol. 943, c. 183], gave the following further information
Very rough estimates have now been prepared which suggest that about 260 visits were made by civil servants in the Department of Energy to other parts of the EEC during 1977 covering about 470 days. The cost is estimated at approximately £38,000, but during 1977 payments were received by the Department from the EEC totalling £12,882. These EEC payments, not necessarily all relating to journeys in 1977, represent the cost of the return air fare, or the shortest land/sea route, in respect of officials attending EEC meetings.