§ Mr. Tony BanksTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the total cost of the recent ministerial visit to Chicago; who went; and what was studied.
§ Mr. Norris[holding answer 15 January 1993]: I am grateful to the hon. Member for giving me the opportunity to confirm that the total cost of the recent visit to Chicago was not £25,000 as reported by the Evening Standard, but just under £7,000. I can only assume the £25,000 estimate was based on at least one journalist's attempt to justify his own expenses.
272WI visited Chicago to look at the city's system of parking enforcement and adjudication prior to a new system being introduced in London. I also took the opportunity to see traffic control and information systems, incident management on freeways and an in-vehicle route guidance system, and held meetings with the mayor, the city aviation commissioner and the head of the regional transit authority.
I was accompanied by my private secretary and three other officials from the Department.