§ Mr. George HowarthTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list(a) details of all overseas trips made by him, or ministerial colleagues in his Department, paid for wholly or partly from public funds and (b) the purpose, destination and duration of such overseas trips, which officials accompanied him and the total cost in each case, including that of officials, to public funds for each year since 1992. [32257]
§ Mr. BaldrySince 1992, MAFF Ministers have made a total of 89 overseas visits paid for wholly or partly from public funds. Forty three visits were to EC Councils of Ministers; the remaining visits were in support of bilateral relations, enlargement negotiations and trade promotion. The following details include travel and subsistence costs of MAFF officials, estimated as necessary to the nearest £50. It should be noted that the cost of travel to and from Council meetings is subsequently reimbursed by the EC, subject to certain limits. All the Council meetings involved were Agricultural or Fisheries Councils, unless otherwise stated.
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Parliamentary Secretary (Lords) (1993) Number of Officials Destination Purpose Cost£ 29–30 September +2 Frankfurt Plantec International Trade Fair for Horticulture 1,500 15–18 November +2 Paris and Amsterdam Visit FFB offices plus visit to supermarkets 2,500 7–8 December +1 Copenhagen North Sea Conference £1,250
Parliamentary Secretary (Commons) (1993) Number of Officials Destination Purpose Cost 3 February +2 Colonge ISM Food Exhibition 1,200 27 September +3 Brussels Council 1,200 11 October (overnight) +2 Cologne ANUGA food exhibition 1,200
Minister (1994) Number of Officials Destination Purpose Cost£ 24 January +3 Brussels Council 1,600 21–22 February +2 Brussels Council 1,700 28–29 March +5 Brussels Council 3,400 10–12 April +2 Rodez, France Meeting with M. Puech 1,200 25–26 April +6 Luxembourg Council 3,900 30–31 May +8 Brussels Council 4,600 20–24 June +11 Luxembourg Council 6,400 18–19 July +9 Brussels Council 5,100 5 September +2 Brussels Meeting with Commissioner Steichen 1,200 19–20 September +5 Brussels Council 3,200 26–27 September +2 Dusseldorf Informal Council 1,100 24–25 October +8 Luxembourg Council 6,400 14–15 November +4 Brussels Council 2,700 22 November +2 Paris Meeting with M. Puech 1,250 12–13 December +9 Brussels Council 8,000 30 November—3 December +1 Mexico Inauguration of new Mexican President 7,000
Minister of State (1994) Number of officials Destination Purpose Cost£ 24 January +3 Brussels Meeting with Commissioner Paleokrassas 2,000 25 January +2 Amsterdam NTV Horticultural Show 1,000 14 March +3 Cologne Meeting with Dr. Feiter 1,500 11–12 April +7 Luxembourg Council 6,500 9–10 June +7 Luxembourg Council 6,500 19–25 September +2 India Trade promotion 8,500 27–29 September +7 Brussels Council 6,000 9 November +7 Paris Meeting with Mr. Peuch 1,350 23 November +7 Brussels Council 3,750 18–22 December +7 Brussels Council 10,000 1054W1055W
Parliamentary Secretary (Lords) (1994) Number of officials Destination Purpose Cost£ 31 January—1 February +2 Cologne ISM food fair plus meeting with German government on BSE 1,250 5–7 April +2 China Trade mission 17,000 6–10 August +2 Colombia Inauguration of new President and trade promotion 12,000
Parliamentary Secretary (Commons) (1994) Number of officials Destination Purpose Cost£ 28 February/1 March +2 Paris SIA plus meeting with French Minister 2,000 30 March +4 Brussels Health Council Summer Fancy Food Fair; visit to farmers' 4,000 8–11 July +2 New York market; talks with farmers using BST 11,000 29 August/2 September +2 Brazil Trade promotion incl. visit to Expointer Show 16,000 19–22 September +2 Hungary, Slovakia and Austria Trade promotion with business team 2,000 24 October +2 Paris SIAL exhibition 1,250
Minister (1995) Number of officials Destination Purpose Cost £ 24–25 January +3 Brussels Council 1,300 20–21 February +6 Brussels Council 5,800 10–11 April +5 Luxembourg Council 4,900 22 May +3 Bonn Meeting with Herr Borchert 2,000 29–30 May +10 Brussels Council 5,500 19–22 June +10 Brussels Council 9,000
Minister of State (1995) Number of officials Destination Purpose Cost£ 1 March +3 Paris Paris Salon (SIA/SIMA) 1,600 12 May +2 Brussels Meeting with Commissioner Bonino 3,500 6 April +7 Luxembourg Council 5,000 16 June +7 Luxembourg Council 5,000
Parliamentary Secretary (Lords) (1995) Number of officials Destination Purpose Cost £ 22 February +2 Amsterdam NTV Horticultural Show 725 31 May +2 Amsterdam PLMA food exhibition 1,250 1056W1057W
Parliamentary Secretary (Commons) (1995) Number of officials Destination Purpose Cost £ 9–30 January +6 Cologne 1Plus ISM exhibition 4,600 6 February (overnight) +2 Vienna 1— 1,550 8 February +3 Brussels 1— 1,300 13 February +3 Rotterdam 1— 1,100 16–17 February (overnight) +3 Rome and Lisbon 1— 3,700 2 March +3 Madrid 1— 2,000 Total 14,250 1 All visits were Bilateral talks on promoting production of welfare friendly veal.