To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much was spent on foreign travel by her Department in each of the last eight years. (76055)

Departmental expenditure for overseas travel and subsistence by officials is shown in the table.

Regarding Ministers’ visits overseas, since 1999 the Government have published, on annual basis, the total cost of all ministerial overseas travel and a list of all visits by Cabinet Ministers costing in excess of £500. This information is available in the Library. Information for the financial year 2004-05 was published on 21 July 2005, Official Report, 158WS. Information for the financial year 2005-06 is in the process of being collated and will be published shortly.

All official travel is undertaken in accordance with the requirements of the Ministerial Code and Civil Service Management Code.