§ David DavisTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the(a) foreign and (b) UK visits made by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury since 1 April 2003; what the cost was to public funds of each trip; who he met; and what gifts were received. [126887]
§ Mr. BoatengThe Government publish the overall costs of all Ministerial overseas travel and a list of all visits overseas by Cabinet Ministers costing in excess of £500 on an annual basis. For the period up to 31 March 285W 2003 I refer the right hon. Gentleman to the answer given by the Prime Minister to the hon. Member for Warwick and Leamington on 16 July 2003, Official Report, column 327W. The next list, for the period 1 April 2003 to 31 March 2004, will be published at the end of the financial year.
In respect of gifts received, I refer the right hon. Member to the answer given by the Prime Minister on 17 July 2003, Official Report, column 445W.
In the UK: the Chief Secretary visited Oxford University in April at no cost; the Baptist Assembly, Cardiff in May at no cost; Social Services, Cambridge in May at no cost; Cambridge University in May at no cost; ICSB World Conference, Northern Ireland in June at a cost of £262.30; CPYU Ministerial Listening Tour, Bristol in June at a cost of £145.00; Festival of Science, Leicester in June at no cost; Sieff Conference, Windsor in September at no cost; Council Congress Dinner, Brighton in September at a cost of £21.10; and the Pensions and Savings Summit, Edinburgh in September at a cost of £318.90.
All ministerial travel is undertaken in accordance with the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.