§ Mr. TyrieTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions between 31 March 2001 and 31 March 2002(a) departmental and (b) non-departmental special advisers have travelled abroad in an official capacity; what places were visited; and how much each visit cost. [58722]
§ Mr. BlunkettI refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to Mr. Burns on 9 July 2002,Official Report, column 891W.
In addition, two official visits have been made by Special Advisers to the United States since 1997. One in August 2000 at a total cost of £2,117 and the other in August 2001 at a total cost of £2,900.
The advisor on international drug issues (who was employed on Special Adviser terms) has visited Belgium, Romania and the Czech Republic on official business at an average cost of £1,094 per trip.
Information for the period beyond March 2002 will be available in due course.