§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the overseas trips on departmental business that have been undertaken in each of the last five years by officials in his Department; and what the(a) cost, (b) purpose and (c) result was in each case. [68720]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienThe FCO's expenditure on overseas trips on departmental business was £9 million in 1997–98, £10.3 million in 1998–99, £9.5 million in 1999–2000, £9.7 million in 2000–01 and £10.9 million in 2001–02. This expenditure covered travel, accommodation and subsistence costs. Detailed information about individual trips is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. All such trips are undertaken in support of our foreign policy objectives and the results are collectively reported to Parliament in the FCO's departmental report. All overseas travel by officials in the FCO is undertaken in accordance with the principles set out 763W in chapter 8 of the Civil Service Management Code, and the detailed rules and guidance set out in the FCO's Code of Management.