§ Mr. Kenneth Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Defence what instructions he has given his Department on the numbers permitted to attend public visits or other functions paid for by his Department; and whether he has sought reductions in the cost of such official visits.
§ Mr. SpeedAll travel on official duty by MOD officials is undertaken on the basis that it is essential for the efficient conduct of business. The same applies to attendance at official functions. There are standing instructions and guidelines on the need to restrict such activities to an absolute minimum and these are reinforced from time to time by high-level reminders of the need for economy. The most recent reminder was issued throughout the MOD, both headquarters and outstations, in January.