Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Parliamentary Trade Envoys

Thursday 2 May 2024 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The travel costs for parliamentary trade envoys were 63,566 for 2021-22, 226,014 for 2022-23, and 232,325 for 2023-24.
  • The Minister defended the trade envoy programme against accusations of opacity.
  • Gifts and hospitality for the trade envoy programme are published in departmental registers.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Chris Bryant Lab Rhondda and Ogmore
Business & Trade
Context

No specific incident prompted this question; it inquires about the financial transparency of the UK's trade envoy programme.

Question

What are the travel costs of parliamentary trade envoys in each of the last three years?

Answer from Greg Hands

The travel costs incurred by the Prime Minister's trade envoys were: £63,566 for the financial year 2021-22; £226,014 for 2022-23; and £232,325 for 2023-24. These costs were for flights, accommodation when the official British residence was unavailable, and other sundry expenses.

Answered
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Q2 Chris Bryant Lab Rhondda and Ogmore
Business & Trade
Context

There are concerns about the transparency and accountability regarding the costs and activities of the UK's parliamentary trade envoys, particularly whether these expenses have been well-spent and who benefits from such roles.

Question

The trade envoy programme is opaque. The Minister previously refused to deny that a trade envoy has requested exclusive use of a house while on duty. There are also refusals to publish detailed costs for the envoys, which contrasts with how expenses are handled in official visits abroad like those by Select Committees. How can we judge if £750,000 spent over three years is justified? Is there any accountability or does this serve as sinecures?

Answer from Greg Hands

The hon. Gentleman's comments reflect a lot of bluster and accusations. The cross-party role requires diplomacy and discretion, which explains why not everyone is asked to take part. Gifts and hospitality are published in departmental registers, indicating transparency where appropriate.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Details on costs breakdown and accountability measures were avoided

How: Bluster, Accusations

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