HC Deb 09 December 1993 vol 234 cc350-1W
Mr. Mullin

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the Ministers in his Department who since June 1987 have visited(a) Saudi Arabia, (b) Malaysia, (c) Singapore and (d) South Africa on official business; and which such visits included party political activities in addition to official duties.

Mr. Aitken

Official visits by Ministers to the countries listed have been as follows:

Saudi Arabia

  • Secretary of State—1988, 1990—three times—1991, 1992—twice
  • Minister (Armed Forces)—1990
  • Minister (Defence Procurement)—1988, 1993—twice

Malaysia

  • Secretary of State—1987, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993
  • Minister (Armed Forces)—1988, 1990—twice
  • Minister (Defence Procurement)—1991
  • Under-Secretary of State—1992, 1993
  • Under-Secretary of State (Armed Forces)—1991

Singapore

  • Secretary of State—1987, 1991, 1993
  • Minister (Armed Forces)—1988
  • Under-Secretary of State (Defence Procurement)—1987, 1989, 1990

South Africa None.

All of these visits were for official purposes. My Department is unaware of any party political activities on these visits.