§ Mr. SoamesTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment which of his Ministers is due to visit India in the next three months; what the purpose of the visits will be, by whom Ministers will be accompanied, including family members or partners; and what the estimated cost of the visit is. [144013]
§ Mr. WillsMy right hon. and noble Friend the Minister for Education and Employment will be visiting India in January 2001 to promote UK education and training. She will be accompanied by two officials from the Department and representatives from the Higher Education Funding Council for England and the British Council. The cost of the visit is expected to be in the region of £18,000.
All overseas visits are conducted in accordance with the guidance set out in the Ministerial Code.
§ Mr. SoamesTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment which of his Ministers has visited India since May 1997; what the purpose of each visit was; by whom these Ministers were accompanied, including family members; and what the cost to his Department was of each trip. [144014]
§ Mr. WillsThere has been one trip to India by a Minister from this Department since May 1997.
My right hon. and noble Friend the Minister for Education and Employment visited India in January 1998 to promote British education and training. She was accompanied by two officials from the Department and representatives from the Higher Education Funding Council for England and British Training International. The cost to the Department of the visit was £17,034.
All overseas visits are conducted in accordance with the guidance set out in the Ministerial Code.