§ Mr. WilshireTo ask the Prime Minister if he will list all overseas visits made since 1 May 1997 on which he has been accompanied under Rule 83 of the Ministerial Code, indicating(a) who accompanied him (b) the cost to public funds of each such visit. [23251]
§ The Prime Minister[holding answer 15 January 1998]My wife accompanied me on the following official overseas visits.
- 20–23 June 1997: Denver and New York
- 29 June-1 July 1997: Hong Kong
- 8–13 January 1998: Japan
- 4–7 February 1998: Washington
Any additional costs incurred are minimal as was the case under the previous Administration.
§ Mr. RedwoodTo ask the Prime Minister what was the cost to public funds of the trip to the Seychelles and Nairobi for(a) the travel and accommodation of accompanying staff and (b) the Prime Minister and Mrs. Blair. [23478]
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyTo ask the Prime Minister how many(a) officials and (b) security staff accompanied him on his trip to the Seychelles. [27151]
§ The Prime Minister[holding answer 16 January 1998]The costs of travel and accommodation for myself and my family were met by the Blair family. Other costs related to the Prime Minister's security and secure telecommunications. It has been the practice of successive Governments not to detail such expenditure for security reasons.
§ Mr. WilshireTo ask the Prime Minister (1) when it was decided, and by whom, that the term spouse in paragraph 83 of the Ministerial Code should be extended to permit those not married to a Minister making an overseas trip to accompany him or her at public expense; [25773]
16W(2) when permission was first granted for someone not married to a civil servant making an overseas trip to accompany the civil servant at public expense; [25775]
(3) when it was decided, and by whom, that the term spouse in the rules that govern the granting of permission for someone not married to a civil servant accompanying that civil servant on an overseas visit at public expense including partners. [25774]
§ The Prime Minister[holding answer 27 January 1998]I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Guildford (Mr. St. Aubyn) on 20 January 1998,Official Report, column 483.
§ Mr. WilshireTo ask the Prime Minister (1) what was the public interest justification under paragraph 83 of the Ministerial Code when he granted permission to the Minister of State, the hon. Member for Leeds, Central (Mr. Fatchett), to take his wife to Australasia and the Pacific from 12 to 22 September; [25771]
(2) what was the public interest justification under paragraph 83 of the Ministerial Code when he granted permission to the Minister of Agriculture to take his wife to the Netherlands from 25 to 27 May; [25864]
(3) what was the public interest justification under paragraph 83 of the Ministerial Code when he granted permission to the Minister of State, the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, North (Mr. Henderson), to take his companion to Luxembourg from 25 to 26 October. [25770]
§ The Prime Minister[holding answer 27 January 1998]I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 5 February 1998, Official Report, columns 732–33.
§ Mr. Heathcoat-AmoryTo ask the Prime Minister what clear public interest was served by the visit of Miss Geraldine Daly when accompanying the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, North (Mr. Henderson) to Luxembourg. [26247]
§ The Prime Minister[holding answer 29 January 1998]I refer the right hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Spelthorne (Mr. Wilshire) on 5 February 1998,Official Report, columns 732–33.
§ Mr. MacShaneTo ask the Prime Minister if he will list Government expenditure on Ministerial overseas visits at current prices(a) for the financial years (i) 1993–94, (ii) 1994–95, (iii) 1995–96 and (iv) 1996–97 and (b) from 1 May 1997. [28964]
§ The Prime MinisterExpenditure on Ministerial overseas visits in real terms for the periods requested is estimated as follows:
Year £ million 1993–94 6.5 1994–95 6.6 1995–96 6.9 1996–97 7.5 1 May 1997 onwards 4.7 These figures do not include some expenditure falling to the Scottish Office, the Ministry of Defence, and the Welsh Office where the information is not available for the earlier years. Full information is available from 17W 1996–97 and the full cost for 1996–97 was over £7.8 million and for the period since 1 May was less than £5 million.