Overseas Ministers (Hansard, 18 October 2001)

§ Mr. Andrew Turner
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his practice to notify hon. Members of visits to their constituencies by Ministers of overseas Governments when those visits are accompanied by Government officials. [8594]

§ Mr. MacShane
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is rightly proud of the large number of visits to the UK by overseas Ministers. The degree of Foreign and Commonwealth Office involvement is determined by the nature of the visit and the programme content. Unfortunately, Foreign and Commonwealth Office resource constraints dictate that it is not possible to undertake to notify hon. Members every time an overseas Minister visits their constituency. I am unable to answer for the practice of other Government Departments.

§ Mr. Andrew Turner
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the visits made by Ministers of the New Zealand Government to the United Kingdom since 7 June, listing in each case the constituencies visited. [8593]

§ Mr. MacShane
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office continues to offer a warm welcome to the many ministerial visitors from New Zealand who visit the UK in both an official and private capacity. The degree of official Foreign and Commonwealth Office involvement and contact is determined by the nature of the visit and the programme content. Since 7 June we are aware of four visits to the UK by Ministers of the New Zealand 1301W Government: Ms Margaret Wilson, Attorney General and Minister of Labour; Mr. Trevor Mallard, the Minister of Education; Mr. Phil Goff, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade; and Mr. Michael Cullen, the Minister of Finance. All four visit programmes were not arranged by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and I am unable to confirm all of the constituencies they might have visited.

§ Mr. Andrew Turner
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the visits made by Ministers of overseas Governments to the Isle of Wight since 7 June. [8592]

§ Mr. MacShane
The UK is a popular destination for overseas Ministers. Many visit frequently on official business and in a private capacity. The degree of Foreign and Commonwealth Office involvement is determined by the nature of the visit and the programme content. Since 7 June we are only aware of the visit to the Isle of Wight by Mr. Trevor Mallard, the Minister of Education of New Zealand, which was not organised by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.