Lib Dems question ministers’ travel
The Liberal Democrats have questioned the amount of time and money that ministers spend on foreign travel.
They claim that last year ministers spent the equivalent of a year and a half on foreign trips.
Around 1000 civil servants have accompanied ministers abroad, with the total cost this year exceeding £5 million.
Party chairman, Matthew Taylor said: “Of course, some foreign travel is essential. However, Cabinet Ministers are spending weeks and weeks abroad, taking a huge number of civil servants with them.
“One has to question whether all these foreign trips and all these accompanying civil servants are absolutely necessary.
“At a time when Gordon Brown is trying to curb Government spending and has announced thousands of civil service job cuts. Cutting back on expensive foreign travel could comprise a better first step in the Government’s efficiency savings programme and would not compromise front line services.”
According to the figures, obtained by the Liberal Democrats, Cabinet Ministers spent 589 days out of the country.
Unsurprisingly, the Foreign Secretary topped the list with 88 days spent abroad, perhaps more unusually he was followed by the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Sural affairs, who spent 74, then came the Defence and International Development secretaries.The Welsh Secretary came bottom with no days spent abroad.
However, the annual costs of visits have dropped, from a high of £7.9 million in 1996/7 to £5.3 million in 2002/03.
