HC Deb 22 July 1996 vol 282 cc50-3W
Mr. George Howarth

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the dates in(a) 1993–94, (b) 1994–95, (c) 1995–96 and (d) 1996–97 on which (i) he, (ii) other Home Office Ministers and (iii) officials visited the United States of America on matters of criminal justice policy; who made each visit; what was the purpose of each visit; with whom meetings were held; what were the outcomes of these meetings on each visit; and what was the cost to public funds of each visit. [37975]

Mr. Howard

During the period in question there have been four ministerial visits to the United States of America on criminal justice matters as follows:

  1. (a) 1 to 8 January 1994: I undertook a visit covering prisons, police, crime prevention and drug trafficking matters;
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  2. (b) 24 to 27 April 1995: The former Minister of State, Home Office, my right hon. Friend the Member for Stirling (Mr. Forsyth) accompanied by a private secretary and the Director General of the Prison Service, undertook a visit to high-security prisons;
  3. (c) 12 to 17 November 1995: I undertook a visit, accompanied by a private secretary and the temporary Director General of the Prison Service, covering prison and terrorism matters;
  4. (d) 12 to 15 December 1995: The Minister of State, my right hon. Friend the Member for Penrith and the Border (Mr. Maclean), accompanied by a private secretary, undertook a visit covering police and terrorism matters.
The other details requested are either unavailable or could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

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