HC Deb 20 October 1993 vol 230 c247W
Mr. Tony Banks

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much was spent by his Department on travelling abroad by(a) Ministers and (b) officials in each of the last three financial years; and which countries were visited.

Mr. Hague

Information for financial years prior to 1992–93 is not available in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

The sum spent in the financial year 1992–93 on the cost of travelling abroad was £403,600. Countries visited in that period were: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bermuda, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Ireland, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, USA and Zimbabwe.

Separate figures for Ministers and officials are not available.

Mr. Tony Banks

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much has been spent by his Department in each of the last three financial years on costs for officials travelling to France.

Mr. Hague

Information on costs for officials travelling to France in years prior to 1992–93 is not available in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The sum spent in the financial year 1992–93 on the cost of travel to France by officials was £26,735.