To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list (i) the number of visits made by officials in his Department during the past month to destinations outside the United Kingdom but within the European Community on official business related to the European Community, (ii) the number of visits made by officials in his Department to Brussels within the past month on official business related to the European Community and (iii) the number of nights spent by officials in his Department over the past month away from the United Kingdom on official European Community business.

Officials in my Department made 58 visits in the month of October to destinations outside the United Kingdom but within the European Community on official EC business; of these visits 46 were to Brussels. Officials spent 76 nights away from the United Kingdom on official EC business in October.