§ Mr. Michael Brownasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many Press officers liaise with the Minister for sport in connection with matters within his responsibility for sport.
§ Mr. TraceyOne officer in the Department's information directorate deals with sports matters along with other areas of the Department's responsibility.
§ Mr. Michael Brownasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many civil servants work directly for the Minister of sport: what is their grade; and what is their total cost per annum.
§ Mr. TraceyTwenty officials work in the Department's sport and recreation division providing advice for Ministers on sport and recreation matters. The grades of these officials are—assistant secretary (1), principal (2), higher executive officer (5), executive officer (7), clerical officer (4) and senior personal secretary (1). Their total cost per annum is £217,300. In addition, the four staff in my private office have some dealings with these matters, along with the other areas of the Department's work for which I am responsible.
§ Mr. Michael Brownasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in the Official Report the places visited by the Minister for Sport during the last 12 months; and what was the purpose of each visit and the cost in each case.
§ Mr. TraceySince September 1985 when I was appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department of the Environment, I have visited the following places in connection with the part of my ministerial responsibility relating to sport and recreation matters: 647W
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Date Place visited Purpose Wednesday 11 September Wembley World Cup Qualifying Match—England v. Rumania Saturday 14 September Twickenham London Welsh v. Barbarians Centenary Rugby Match Tuesday 17 September Birmingham Opening of Olympic Bid Offices Monday 23 September Olympia, London Presentation of "Product of the Year Awards" at Exhibition of Sport and Leisure Wednesday 25 September Richmond International Ice Skating Tuesday 1 October London Borough of Bromley Opening new dual-use facilities at Kemnal Manor School Thursday 17 October Portsmouth Tour of children's play schemes Wednesday 6 November Woking Opening new tennis centre Wednesday 13 November Bristol Squash Championships (together with other Departmental business) Monday 18 to Tuesday 19 November Bisham Abbey National Sports Centre, Buckinghamshire Meeting of Chairmen of Regional Councils for Sport and Recreation Wednesday 20 November Bournemouth Address to Central Council of Physical Recreation Annual Conference Saturday 23 November Watford Visit to Watford Football Club (at invitation of my hon. Friend the Member for Watford) Wednesday 27 November London London Federation of Boys' Clubs Boxing Finals Friday 29 November London Speech at fund-raising luncheon for World Hockey Cup Saturday 30 November Wembley Netball International Sunday 1 December Tolworth Surrey County Table Tennis Championships Thursday 5 December Maidstone Address to South Eastern Council for Sport and Recreation Thursday 5 December Wembley Presentation of awards at Sports Writers' Annual Awards Dinner Saturday 7 December Wimbledon Visit to Wimbledon FC Monday 9 December London Presentation of Football Club of Year Awards Sunday 15 December Olympia, London Show jumping event Sunday 22 December Wembley International Gymnastics event Wednesday 8 January Olympia, London Boat Show Saturday 11 to Monday 13 January Switzerland British Ski Championships Saturday 18 January London Visit to Tottenham Hotspur FC Friday 24 January London European Cup Tennis Championship Saturday 25 January London Presentation of Awards to British Racing Sports Car Club Sunday 26 January London Visit to Chelsea FC Saturday 1 February London Presentation for Rowing Marathon Monday 10 February London Sports Aid Foundation Dinner Saturday 15 February Kingston, Surrey Attend league basketball match Wednesday 19 February London Cable and Wireless Test Series Dinner Thursday 27 February Harrogate Address to Sports Council Conference Saturday 1 March Twickenham England v. Ireland Rugby International Tuesday 4 March Hook, Surrey Inspection of dual-use facilities at Southborough School Thursday 6 March London Tooting Sports Centre topping out ceremony Saturday 8 March Scunthorpe Visit to Scunthorpe Town FC (at invitation of my hon. Friend, the Member for Glanford and Scunthorpe) Saturday 15 March Wembley England v. Canada Women's Hockey International Sunday 16 March Wembley All-England Badminton Finals Saturday 22 March Wembley Presentation of prizes at National Basketball Championships Sunday 23 March London Professional Footballers' Association Dinner Monday 24 March London Boxing event Thursday 27 March London National Schoolboy Rugby Sevens Tournament Saturday 29 March London Oxford v. Cambridge Boat Race Wednesday 2 April London London Welsh RFC Centenary Dinner Thursday 3 April Kingston, Surrey Opening Norbiton Athletics Stadium Monday 7 April London Football Association Dinner for Mexican delegation Wednesday 9 April Edinburgh Visit to Commonwealth Games organisers Saturday 12 April Reading Visit to Reading FC (at the invitation of my hon. Friend the Member for Reading West) Saturday 12 April Esher, Surrey Kingstonian FC Dinner Sunday 20 April Badminton Badminton Horse Trials Tuesday 22 April Wembley Presentation of prizes at British Open Squash Championships Wednesday 23 April Wembley England v. Scotland Football International Wednesday 30 April Dorset Visit to dual use facilities and opening Sports Centre (at the invitation of my hon. Friends, Members for Dorset West and Poole) Saturday 10 May Wembley FA Cup Final Monday 12 May Newbury Opening Recreation Centre extension
Date Place visited Purpose Wednesday 14 May London London Federation of Boys' Clubs Awards Presentation Friday 16 May Southampton Visit to Solent Project, Hampshire CCC; and discussion with officers on dual use (at the invitation of my hon. Friend, the Member for Southampton Itchen) Saturday 17 May Warwickshire Presentation at Schools' Swimming Gala in Stratford upon Avon Monday 19 May London Central Council of Physical Recreation AGM Thursday 22 May London Opening of Tideway Scullers Club House, Chiswick Sunday 25 May London Start Sport Aid Run in Hyde Park Wednesday 28 May Weybridge, Surrey Opening of Sports Centre Saturday 31 May Wembley Schoolboy Football International Sunday 1 June Hickstead, Sussex Presentation of Nations Cup (Showjumping) Tuesday 3 June London Speech at English Basketball Association Dinner Sunday 8 to Monday 16 June Mexico Soccer World Cup Wednesday 18 June Milton Keynes Address to Southern Council for Sport and Recreation This list excludes places visited in connection with my other ministerial responsibilities in support of my noble Friend the Minister of State with responsibilities for planning, heritage and regional affairs. The costs incurred in the case of most domestic visits are not readily available, and could be estimated only at disproportionate cost. The full cost to the Department of the overseas visit to Switzerland was approximately £1,600. The cost to the Department of the visit to Mexico has not yet been finally calculated, but is estimated to be approximately £5,500.