HC Deb 30 March 2004 vol 419 c1327W
Mr. Bercow

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many conferences he and his Ministers attended in the UK and abroad in the year to 29 February; and what the cost of attending was, broken down by(a) travel costs, (b) food and drink, (c) accommodation and (d) miscellaneous costs. [160706]

Hilary Benn

[holding answer 12 March 2004]: The Cabinet Office publishes an annual publication that provides details of overseas travel by Cabinet Ministers and expenditure incurred. Copies of the publication are available in the Libraries of the House. The annual publication covering 2003–04 will be published in due course. All DFID ministerial travel is undertaken in line with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers.

As Secretary of State for International Development I attended one conference in the UK in February. The previous Secretary of State also attended a conference in June as did I when I was Minister of State. Both of these were in London and did not incur any cost.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State has attended three conferences in the UK in the year to 29 February. Only one of these incurred an additional cost to the Department of £37 for a train fare. The other two were held in Central London.

Mr. Bercow

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many(a) non-ministerial staff and (b) special advisers in his Department attended conferences in the UK and abroad in the year to 29 February; and what the cost of attending was, broken down by (i) travel costs, (ii) food and drink, (iii) accommodation and (iv) miscellaneous costs. [160708]

Hilary Benn

[holding answer 12 March 2004]: It is not possible to provide information on non-ministerial staff attendance at conferences either in the UK or abroad without incurring disproportionate cost, apart from the following information:

A special adviser has attended one conference in the UK. The total cost of attending this was £895. This cost included accommodation and food. Travel cost approximately £20.