§ Mr. McCrindleTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has had with his European counterparts with regard to the application of the European directive on package travel to business travel packages; whether agreement has been reached on its application to business trips the elements of which are booked separately; and if he will make a statement.
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§ Mr. ForthThe common position on the draft package travel directive reached by EC Ministers at the 21 and 22 December Council was formally agreed on 22 February this year. The directive will normally apply to a pre-arranged package for business purposes. However, a statement in the minutes records the agreement of the Council and the Commission that when a business trip involves separate bookings of transport and accommodation which do not constitute elements of a pre-arranged package, this will not constitute a package for the purposes of the directive. This is the position even though they are invoiced simultaneously by the travel agent.