§ Mr. BurnsTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many times special advisers have accompanied Ministers on overseas visits in each of the last five years; which countries were visited; and what the total cost of each individual visit was. [47134]
§ Mr. MacShaneFor information on overseas travel by special advisers for the period 2 May 1997 to 31 March 2001, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Westmorland and Lonsdale (Mr. Collins) on 20 March 2002,Official Report,column 385W. 66W Information on overseas travel for the period 1 April 2001 to 31 March 2002 will be published as soon as possible. All travel by special advisers is undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code, and Civil Service Management Code.
§ Mr. BurnsTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many times Ministers in his Department have travelled abroad at taxpayers' expense since March 2001; what countries they visited; and what the total cost of each visit was. [47106]
§ Mr. MacShaneSince 1999 the Government have published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing £500 or more during each financial year. The Government have also published on an annual basis the cost of all Ministers visits overseas. Copies of the lists are available in the Library of the House. The 1999 list contained information on all such visits undertaken from 2 May 1997 to 31 April 1999. Details of travel undertaken in the period 1 April 2001 to 31 March 2002 will be published as soon as possible.
All travel is undertaken fully in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.