HC Deb 17 July 1995 vol 263 cc885-7W
Ms Glenda Jackson

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list all overseas ministerial visits since 1 January 1993, the date of those visits, the names of the Ministers involved, the purpose of those visits, and the cost to his Department of those visits. [35276]

Mr. George Howarth

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list(a) details of all overseas trips made by him or ministerial colleagues in his Department, paid for wholly or partly from public funds and (b) the purpose, destination and duration of such overseas trips, which officials accompanied him and the total cost in each case, including that of officials to public funds for each year since 1992. [32280]

Sir George Young

The destination, duration and purpose of ministerial overseas trips involving public funds for each year since 1992 are listed. Total travel and subsistence costs for Ministers and accompanying private secretaries were £54,080 in 1993–94; £84,013 in 1994–95 and £9,056 so far in 1995–96. Detailed records of visits and associated costs for 1992 are not available.

Information about the number and cost of accompanying officials is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Country visited Duration (days) Purpose
SECRETARY OF STATE FOR TRANSPORT
1993
Belgium 1 Aviation conference
Belgium 1 Joint EC Transport and
Environment Council
Belgium 2 Transport Council
Norway/Sweden 3 Fact-finding on congestion
charging
Luxembourg 2 Transport Council
France 1 Paris Air Show
Luxembourg I Transport Council
USA 5 Meeting with US
Transportation Secretary on
aviation and fact-finding on
highways
Belgium 2 Transport Council
1994
Greece 3 Informal Transport Council
Germany 1 Trilateral,
German/French/British meeting
Greece 3 Pan-European conference
Luxembourg 2 EC Transport Council

Country visited Duration(days) Purpose
France 1 Channel Tunnel—official
opening
France 3 European conference of
Ministers of Transport
Denmark 2 European Civil Aviation
Conference
Luxembourg 2 Transport Council
USA 1 HM Ambassador, Washington
Belgium 1 Transport Council
France 1 EPS Eurostar
USA 5 Fact-finding and export
promotion
Belgium 1 Transport Council
France 1 Telematics conference
1995
Holland Fact-finding on cycling
France 1 French and German Transport
Ministers
Belgium 2 Transport Council
Switzerland Fact-finding on railways issues
Japan/Korea 8 Meeting with Transport
Ministers; fact-finding, export
promotion and agreement
signing
Luxembourg 1 Transport Council
MINISTER FOR ROADS AND TRAFFIC
1993
Holland 2 European Conference of
Transport Ministers
1994
Italy 3 Fact-finding tour on motorway
tolling
MINISTER FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORT
1993
Germany 2 Meetings with German
Transport Ministry; export
promotion
France 1 French Transport Ministry
China 1 Chinese Ministry
France 1 French Transport Ministry
France 1 Railspeed conference
1994
France 1 International station—Lille
France 1 Channel tunnel—official
opening
MINISTER FOR RAILWAYS AND ROADS
1994
Germany German State Secretary and
export promotion
France 1 Chambers of Commerce and
Bridge Designers
France 1 Prometheus Ministers Day
Germany 2 German State Secretary and
motorway tolling trial site
1995
France 2 Informal Transport Council
Austria 2 European Conference of
Transport Ministers
Germany 2 Centenary celebration of Kiel
canal
MINISTER FOR AVIATION AND SHIPPING
1993
Belgium 1 Transport Council
Eire 1 Meeting with Irish Ministers
Belgium 1 Transport Council
France 1 Paris Air Show
France/Holland/ 2 European airports
Germany
Holland/Belgium 1 Transport Council/aviation visit

Country visited Duration (days) Purpose
Hong Kong 4 Conference on aviation
security; discussions on
shipping
Belgium 2 Transport Council
1994
France 1 Maritime safety; French
Transport Minister
Israel 5 Export Trade Mission
Belgium 1 Maritime Safety and pollution
France 1 Port conference
Greece 2 Shipping exhibition
Denmark 1 Danish Shipping Minister
Japan 2 Kansai Airport Management;
Transport, Trade and Industry
Ministers; export promotion
Denmark 1 Ministers of Paris
Memorandum of
Understanding Group
France 1 P&O and Calais Chamber of
Commerce
Belgium 1 Transport Council
1995
France 1 Paris Air Show
MINISTER FOR LOCAL TRANSPORT AND ROAD SAFETY
1993
USA 3 Fact-finding on parking
enforcement
France 1 Paris Air Show
Brazil 5 Conference on alcoholism and
drug dependence
Germany 3 Conference on traffic problems
and solutions
Singapore/Hong Kong 9 Fact-finding on public transport
operations and congestion
charging systems
1994
France 1 Channel Tunnel—official
opening
Portugal 2 Road Haulage Association
Conference
France 1 Paris; Ministry of Interior; The
Paris Region Transport
Administration