HC Deb 19 July 1995 vol 263 cc1369-75W
Mr. George Howarth

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 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. [32262]

Mr. Arbuthnot

[holding answer Monday 10 July 1995]During the period in question, Ministers in my Department have carried out the following overseas visits:

Secretary of State for Defence
Date Destination Purpose Aircraft type
Financial year 1993–94
April
20 to 23 USA To represent Her Majesty's Government at opening of Holocaust Museum, and to have bilateral talks Civil
May
16 to 21 Far East (Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei and Singapore) Bilaterals RAF
25 Belgium (Brussels) NATO Ministerial Meeting RAF
August
2 to 4 Bosnia/Croatia, Italy To visit British Forces in Bosnia nad Croatia, and for bilateral talks in Croatia and Italy RAF
September
19 to 24 CIS (Russia and Ukraine) Bilaterals RAF
October
20 to 21 Germany (Travemunde) NATO Ministerial meeting
22 Germany (Bielefeld) To visit British Forces RAF
23 to 24 Germany (Bonn) To participate in Bertelsmann Forum
24 to 26 France Bilateral
November
21 to 22 Austria (Vienna) Anglo-German Summit RAF
25 Germany (Bonn) NATO Ministerial RAF
December
8 to 9 Belgium (Brussels) NATO Ministerial RAF
January
5 to 10 Far East Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, (Bahrain) Bilateral discussions RAF
February
4 Germany (Laarbruch, Bruggen) To visit British Forces RAF
5 Germany Conference on Security Policy RAF
6 to 7 Italy/Former Yugoslavia To visit British Forces RAF
10 to 11 Sweden Bilateral RAF
19 to 20 Italy Visit British Forces RAF
March
17 to 18 Former Yugoslavia Visit to British Forces RAF
22 Norway Engagement with the King of Norway RAF
23 Netherlands Bilateral RAF
Secretary of State for Defence
Date Destination Purpose Aircraft type
Financial year 1994–95
April
1 to 5 Nepal To visit British Forces RAF
12 to 15 USA Bilateral Civil
May
5 to 8 Bermuda To visit British Forces RAF
9 Luxembourg WEU Ministerial RAF
23 to 25 Belgium (Brussels) NATO Ministerial meeting RAF
26 USA Witness missile firing RAF
27 to 28 Belize To visit British Forces RAF
June
2 to 3 Switzerland Bilateral RAF
6 France D Day RAF
September
8 Germany Berlin commemorations RAF
11 Denmark Bilateral RAF
28 to 30 Spain NATO Ministerial RAF
October
2 to 5 Baltic States (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania) Bilateral RAF
20 to 24 Israel Bilateral RAF
24 to 25 Jordan/Kuwait Bilateral RAF
28 Germany To attend BAOR drawdown parade RAF
30 to 1 November USA Bilateral RAF
November
18 France Summit RAF
December
5 to 6 Former Yugoslavia Visit to British Forces RAF
13 to 14 Belgium (Brussels) NATO Ministerial RAF
January
16 to 18 Middle East (Saudi Arabia Abu Dhabi, Dubai) Bilateral talks RAF
February
3 Germany Visit German Forces RAF
4 to 5 Germany (Munich) Security Policy Conference RAF
12 to 15 Poland, Czech Republic, and Slovakia Bilateral talks RAF
March
2 to 5 USA Quadrilateral meeting Civil
Financial year 1995–96
April
7 to 13 Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe Bilaterals RAF— £133,404
28 to 30 Germany Ditchley Foundation Conference RAF— £6,796
May
14 to 15 Portugal WEU Ministerial RAF—£4,970
June
3 France Ministerial meeting RAF—£3,271
Secretary of State for Defence
Date Destination Purpose Aircraft type
June 8 to 9 Brussels NATO Ministerial meeting RAF— £2,782
12 to 13 Sweden and Finland Bilateral RAF—£5,594
19 to 21 USA Bilateral and WEU Conference Civil
Minister for the Armed Forces
Date Destination Purpose Aircraft type
Financial Year 1993–94
5–9 April Czech Republic, Hungary, Bulgaria and Slovakia Bilaterals RAF
13–15 May Germany Visit British Forces RAF
19 May Rome WEU Ministerial meeting Civil
26 July Luxembourg WEU Ministerial meeting RAF
28–30 July Germany Visit British Forces RAF
13–16 September Italy, Bosnia and Croatia Visit British Forces RAF
20–29 September Belize, USA and Brazil Visit British Forces, Prime Minister and members of Belizean government, meetings with members of the US administration Civil
12–14 October Hungary Bilaterals RAF
15–18 November Cyprus, Gibraltar, Sardinia Meet British Forces and Chief Minister, Gibraltar RAF
Financial Year 1994–95
23 February Brussels Visit SHAPE Headquarters RAF
13–15 June Bosnia Visit British Forces RAF
30 June-1 July Norway HQ AFNORTH closure ceremony RAF
19 August Brussels Represent UK at Mandred Worner's funeral RAF
1 September Germany Visit British Forces RAF
4–8 September Oman Bilaterals Civil
26–28 September Bosnia Visit British Forces RAF
1–7 October Hong Kong Brunei Visit British troops and Bilaterals Civil
7–10 November Cyprus Gibraltar Visit British troops RAF
5 December Germany Bilaterals RAF
3–6 January Bahrain Anglo Bahrain Defence Committee and Bilaterals Civil
25 January Furstenfoldbruck, Germany British/German Peacekeeping seminar RAF
28–29 February Norway Visit British Forces on NATO Exercise RAF
15 March Germany Visit British Forces RAF
Minister for the Armed Forces
Date Destination Purpose Aircraft type
FINANCIAL YEAR 1995–96
21–25 AprilBosnia/Turkey Visit UK troops and represent the UK government at Gallipoli commemorations RAF— £26,973
2–3 May Hamburg, Germany Attend VE commemorations RAF

The RAF cost of this visit was borne by The prince of Wales, who was accompanied by the Minister for the Armed Forces.

Minister of State for Defence Procurement
Date Destination Purpose Aircraft type
FINANCIAL YEAR 1993–94
5 April Germany Bilateral talks RAF
16–18 April Oman Promoting defence sales Civil
28June Netherlands Promoting defence sales RAF
16 September Poland To accompany HRH the Duke of Edinburgh RAF
8–10 October Kuwait Promoting defence sales Civil
6–7 November Dubai Promoting defence sales RAF
18 November Germany Promoting defence sales RAF
15–17 December Saudi Arabia Promoting defence sales Civil
20–22 December Bosnia Visiting British troops RAF
6–9 January Oman Promoting defence sales Civil
28–31 January Riyadh Promoting defence sales Civil
FINANCIAL YEAR 1994–95
26–29 April USA Bilateral talks Civil
12 September GermanyBilateral talks RAF
18–21 September Far East Five power defence arrangements ministerial meeting Civil
27–29 September USA Bilateral talks Civil
22–23 October UAE Bilateral talks and promoting defence sales Civil
2 February France Bilateral talks Civil
5–6 February Germany Bilateral talks RAF
17–20 March UAE Bilateral talks and promoting defence sales Civil
23 March France Bilateral talks RAF
FINANCIAL YEAR 1995–96
21–23 April Kuwait Promoting defence sales Civil
Minister of State for Defence Procurement
Date Destination Purpose Aircraft type
27 April France Bilateral talks RAF— £1,807
19 MayGermany Bilateral talks RAF— £2,152
12 June France Visit to Paris air show and bilateral talks RAF— £1,430
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Defence
Date Destination Purpose Aircraft type
FINANCIAL YEAR 1993–94
20 April RAF Bruggen Disbandment of RAF Germany RAF
23 April Germany Meet Federation of Army Wives BAOR Civil
12 May Bielefield, Germany Visit ACE Rapid Reaction Corps Civil
24 June Germany Disbanding of the Northern Army Group and 2nd Allied Tactical Air Force RAF
14–17 September Turkey Defence Sales visit to IDEF Civil
29 September Bielesfeld, Germany Federation of Army Wives Conference RAF
21–23 October Albania Bilateral RAF
1–3 December Russia 125th Anniversary of St. Petersburgh Declaration followed RAF
6–9 December Malaysia Defence sales visit to LIMA 93 Civil
13 December Normandy Looking at sites for D Day Celebrations RAF
19 January Grafenwoker, Germany View Combined Arms Tactical Trainer RAF
20–22 February Singapore Bilateral Civil
28–30 March Bosnia Visit British troops RAF
FINANCIAL YEAR 1994–95
19–20 April Malaysia Bilateral Civil
6 June Normandy D Day RAF
29 June Sennelager, Germany British Forces Germany Environmental Day RAF
26–27 August Slovakia 50th Anniversary of the Slovak National Uprising RAF
3–7 October Greece and Slovenia Defendory 94 and Bilateral Civil to Athens then RAF
19 October Herford, Germany Federation of Army Wives Conference RAF
7–11 November Turkey Bilateral Civil
Total Ministerial expenditure on commercial foreign air travel for 1993–94, 1994–95 and 1995–96 to date is as follows:
Financial year Expenditure £
1993–94 73,767
1994–95 72,455
1995–96 to date 5,660

Before April 1995 the cost of RAF flights was not separately identified and, together with the numbers of officials, could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

On visits of this kind, accommodation is normally provided by Her Majesty's Ambassador, Higher Commissioner, other Government representative, or by the hosts.

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