To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many times his Department hired VIP facilities at (a) Heathrow, (b) Gatwick, (c) Luton and (d) Stansted airports in each month since May 2006; and what the expenditure on VIP facilities at each was in each of those months. (205005)

We do not record the hire of VIP facilities. To collect the information requested would incur disproportionate costs.

Details of the cost of overseas travel for Cabinet Ministers, including the cost of travel and accommodation are contained in the Overseas Travel by Cabinet Ministers list. The latest list for the period 1 April 2006 to 31 March 2007 was published on 25 July 2007 and is available at:

www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/propriety_and_ethics/ministers.aspx

Details of the cost of overseas travel for all Ministers for the 2007-08 financial year will be published shortly.

All ministerial travel is made in accordance with the “Ministerial Code”. Travel for staff and special advisers is made in accordance with the “Civil Service Management Code”. Copies of both publications are available in the Library.