§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will list the dates Ministers or officials from her Department, including her Department's agencies, have used the Malaysian airline MAS for each year since 1985 including this year to date on official business; and what was the cost of each flight to her Department.
§ Mr. JackUntil a few years ago Ministry policy was to arrange all overseas travel for Ministers and officials on British airlines, or their reciprocal carriers, at commercial rates. We employ agents to place such bookings and, with the opening up of all Government activities to greater commercial exposure, they now have instructions to provide us, on each occasion, with the most suitable and economic route using the most appropriate airline.
No detailed records of airlines used are kept centrally, as outside agents are used to book seats using the most suitable and economic route with the appropriate airline.
Our agents are unable to provide us with the information required in the detail requested. Our overall impression is that the Malaysian airline MAS has been used very infrequently, if at all, for MAFF air travel in the period concerned.