§ Mr. VazTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many visits abroad the Minister of State made during 1993; and what was(a) the cost to public funds and (b) the purpose of each visit.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythI refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Newport, East (Mr. Hughes) on 3 November 1993 at column268 and to my subsequent letter to him of 17 January 1994, a copy of which has been placed in the Library.
The information given to the hon. Member for Newport, East included information up to and including 26 October 1993. Since then, I have undertaken two further engagements overseas. The first to deliver the keynote address and attend a Council of Europe meeting in Malta at a cost of £5,451; the second, to accompany my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to a Social Affairs Council meeting in Brussels at a total cost of £3,403. These figures include the costs of accompanying officials.