HC Deb 17 February 1995 vol 254 cc886-7W
Mr. Redmond

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the cost to public funds of the visit of HRH the Princess of Wales to Japan; on which vote it is met; and for what reasons.

Mr. Baldry

The costs of different activities related to this visit were borne by the Departments whose responsibilities they were as follows:

  1. (i) The cost of the princess's travel to and from Japan was a charge—as for all air travel, whether official or unofficial, by the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Queen Mother and the Prince and the Princess of Wales—to the Ministry of Defence.
  2. (ii) The cost of the personal protection office who accompanied the princess was met by the Metropolitan police.
  3. (iii) The visit involved some costs to the embassy in Tokyo on entertainment, transport and staff time. These are part of the normal functioning of an embassy.
  4. (iv) The cost of travel for reconnaissance visits undertaken by the princess's private secretary and a press secretary—necessary to ensure the visit was properly prepared in relation to security and other aspects—was met by the FCO 887 and amounted to £6,568—that is two business class return fares. The two officers were accommodated by embassy staff.