HC Deb 15 February 1988 vol 127 c426W
Mr. Livingstone

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many locally and nationally elected United States politicians have been invited during each of the last 10 years to visit Northern Ireland at public expense; what positions they held; what was the full cost in each case; how many were involved in each party; how many brought their spouses or other relatives; and in those cases, who paid.

Mrs. Chalker

The table shows United States politicians who have visited Northern Ireland at the invitation and expense of the United Kingdom Government in each year from 1981 to 1987, and the number of relatives who are recorded as accompanying each one. In none of these cases were the expenses of a relative met by the United Kingdom Government. The total cost of all these visits, including travel between Belfast and London, hotel charges and meals, but excluding Government staff time and transport is estimated (at 1987 prices) at £9,000. It is likely that all the visits formed a part of a wider programme which covered other areas of the United Kingdom. The other information sought in the question is not available.

1981 —

1982 —

1983 The Hon. Thomas Hynes, Assessor of Cook County, Illinois.

1984 Mr. Richard Bauman, Member of the Oregon House of Representatives.

1985 Lieutenant Governor George Ryan of Illinois (with one relative).

1986 —

1987 The Hon. Michael Madigan, Speaker, Illinois House of Representatives (with one relative). Mr. Jack Kubik, Member, Illinois House of Representatives. Senator Royal Bolling, Senator, State of Massachusetts.