§ Mr. Macfarlaneasked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on his most recent visit to the United States of America; who were the political advisers who accompanied him; and what was the total cost for the visit.
§ Mr. BennThe occasion of my last visit to the United States of America, which was from 21st to 24th February, was to take part in the international conference on energy conservation organised by the District of Columbia Bar. I took the opportunity to call on Dr. Schlesinger, to take part in a discussion on energy at the Georgetown University Centre for Strategic and International Studies and to meet a number of senators and congressmen. I first spent a day in New York where I met the chairman of Exxon Corporation and Mobil Oil Corporation and addressed the Calvin Bullock forum on energy policy and world politics.
I was accompanied by my private secretary, Mr. James Bretherton, Mrs. Frances Morrell—one of my special advisers—and two senior officials from my Department—Mr. David Jones and Mr. Bernard Ingham—who each undertook different programmes from my own. The total cost is estimated to be a little over £5,000, including air fares.