HC Deb 26 July 1976 vol 916 cc31-2W
Mr. Arthur Lewis

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will give for the latest annual period of time details of the expenditure on overseas visits by Ministers, their wives and others; for what purposes their visits were made; how they compare with the previous 12 months; and whether the cuts in Government expenditure will reduce these amounts in the future.

Mr. Robert Sheldon

The following visits abroad by Treasury Ministers took place in the period 1st July 1975 to 30th June 1976:

Chancellor of the Exchequer

  • August 1975—Venice.
  • August/September 1975—Guyana, United States of America.
  • October 1975—United States of America, Iran.
  • November 1975—Bussels, Paris.
  • December 1975—Brussels, Paris.
  • January 1976—Jamaica, Brussels.
  • March 1976—Brussels.
  • April 1976—Luxembourg.
  • May 1976—Brussels.
  • June 1976—Paris, Luxembourg.

Paymaster General

  • July 1975—Brussels.
  • August/September 1975—Norway.
  • September 1975—Brussels (twice).
  • September/October 1975—Canada, United States of America.
  • September 1975—Norway.
  • November 1975—Brussels.
  • December 1975—Brussels.

Chief Secretary to the Treasury

  • September 1975—Brussels (twice).
  • December 1975—Brussels (twice).
  • April 1976—Luxembourg.
  • May/June 1976—Japan.

Minister of State

  • November 1975—Brussels.

The costs of ministerial visits abroad which came into payment in the same 12-month period were £18,306. Because of the incidence of payment of bills, expenditure in a given period does not precisely relate to visits made during it. The costs paid in the previous 12 months period ending 30th June 1975 were £20,276.

Mrs. Healey accompanied the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the visits to Guyana and the United States of America in August/September last year, and to Iran in October. Approval was obtained in the established manner for her expenses to be met from public funds on these visits.

All the visits were undertaken to further the work of the Department. The need for each proposed visit is carefully examined before it is undertaken. The extent of visits abroad in the future will depend upon the need for them.