§ Mr. WallaceTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) by what means of transport and at what cost to public funds he returned to the House following the meeting of the Highlands and Islands convention in Inverness on 16 December; [10293]
(2) if the transport facilities used by him to return to the House from the meeting of the Highlands and Islands convention in Inverness on 16 December were offered to other hon. Members attending the convention; and if he will make a statement; [10294]
(3) when a request was made to the RAF to provide him and the Under-Secretary, the hon. Member for Kincardine and Deeside (Mr. Kynoch), with transport facilities to return to the House from Inverness following the Highland and Islands convention on 16 December. [10509]
§ Mrs. EwingTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what was the total cost to the Scottish Office of the RAF flight which took him to and from the Highlands and Islands convention in Inverness on Monday 16 December; [10690]
(2) where he boarded the RAF flight which took him to the Highlands and Islands convention in Inverness on 16 December; [10692]
(3) if he will specify the type of aeroplane and the seating capacity of the aircraft which transported the Secretary of State for Scotland and his Minister of State to and from the Highlands and Islands convention in Inverness on 16 December; and what were the names and designations of all the passengers on the flights. [10684]
§ Mr. Michael ForsythA request for transport was made by my office and approved by the RAF on Tuesday 10 December in order to enable me to carry out all my engagements on 16 December. Going north, I boarded the flight at RAF Northolt. The aircraft was a HS125 which seated seven people. On the return flight from Inverness I was accompanied by my hon. Friend the Member for Kincardine and Deeside—the Parliamentary Under-90W Secretary of State for Scotland—and three Scottish Office staff. A number of matters of ministerial business were dealt with during the flight.
The cost of the flight was £682 per flying hour, plus £62 per hour of waiting time after the first three hours, which are not charged. The cost of a single ticket on a scheduled British Airways flight from Inverness to London would have been £145 per person.
As the hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr. Wallace) knows from his own experience, I am always willing to offer transport to hon. Members where possible.
§ Mrs. EwingTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what were the total costs, including travel costs, of the Highlands and Islands convention on 16 December. [10691]
§ Mr. ForsythCosts incurred to date for the meeting of the Convention of the Highlands and Islands on 16 December amount to £1,058.
This amount excludes travel and subsistence costs for which claims are still being received from convention members.