§ Mr. DonohoeTo ask the President of the Board of Trade how much his Department spent during the financial years 1994–95 and 1995–96 on sending civil servants accompanying Ministers from his Department on official duties abroad. [32417]
§ Mr. LangThe cost of overseas travel for Ministers and their private secretaries in 1994–95 was £400,508 and in 1995–96 was £457,818. The cost of sending officials other than the Minister's private secretary on such visits is met from budgets delegated to the relevant units of the Department and is not recorded centrally. Recovery of past data would incur disproportionate cost.