HC Deb 20 March 1996 vol 274 cc238-9W
Mr. Hall

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will place in the Library a list of all overseas visits made by all Ministers of his Department since 1990, including(a) details of the places visited and brief reasons for the visit, (b) details of the size, composition and cost to public funds of the delegation and (c) the names of non-ministerial members of each delegation and the capacity in which each was present. [17486]

Mr. Burt

[holding answer 1 March 1994]: The available information is in the tables. Information on visits made before 1992 can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Ministers of State
Date and duration of visit Minister Number accompanying Place and purpose of visit Cost £
20–21 May 1992 Nicholas Scott 0 Limerick-Council of Europe Conference of Social Security Ministers 143.35
23–24 May 1992 Nicholas Scott 2 Luxembourg-Social Affairs Council 1,006.86
2–5 September 1992 Nicholas Scott 2 Barcelona-Paralympic Games 1,303.68
7–11 October 1992 Nicholas Scott 2 Montreal-International meeting of Ministers 4,473.90
11–13 October 1992 Nicholas Scott 2 New York-UN General Assembly 3,012.90
8–9 December 1992 Nicholas Scott 1 Paris OECD meeting 456.78
27 May–6 June 1993 Nicholas Scott 6 China-Fact finding visit about disability issues 13,926.30
9–10 November 1993 Nicholas Scott 1 Brussels-Informal Social Affairs Council 550.62
17–20 March 1994 Nicholas Scott 3 Lillehammer-Paralympic Games 1,275.00
9–15 September 1994 William Hague 2 USA-Fact finding visit about disability anti-discrimination legislation 6,813.59
29–31 May 1995 Lord Mackay 3 Lisbon-Sixth Conference of European Social Security Ministers 3,088.60
12–19 September 1995 Alistair Burt 1 Pakistan-Fact finding visit 361.44
Parliamentary Secretaries
Date and duration of visit Minister Number accompanying Place and purpose of visit Cost £
28 January 1993 Ann Widdecombe 4 Copenhagen— Social Affairs Council 4,500.00
1 February 1993 Lord Henley 2 Strasbourg—To open Beveridge Exhibition 1,125.00
26–27 February 1993 Alistair Burt 2 Germany—Bilateral talks with German Social Security Ministers 332.50
28 April 1993 Lord Henley 1 Eire—Meeting Board of Management Trust: War Pensions 460.00
15 May 1993 Alistair Burt 2 Brussels—Bilateral talks with Belgian Social Security Ministers 590.52
28–30 September 1993 Alistair Burt 1 Eire—Bilateral talks with Irish Social Security Minister and Community Development programme visit 426.00
28 May–5 June 1994 Alistair Burt 3 Canada and USA—Fact finding visit about family issues 13,177.38
21–22 June 1994 Alistair Burt 4 Luxembourg— Social Affairs Council 2,948.42
11–15 November 1995 Oliver Heald 4 USA—Fact finding visit on the provisions for long term care 3,879.39