Special Advisers

Mr. Keith Simpson
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the overseas trips on his behalf. and who met the costs, undertaken by each of his special advisers since May 1997. [74641]

Mr. George Robertson
[holding answer 4 March 1999]: Overseas visits (on my behalf) undertaken by my two special advisers since 1 May 1997 are as listed. The costs of these visits were met as appropriate either from my travel budget or from that of the senior official or military officer whom the special adviser was accompanying. In most cases travel was by military flight. Alasdair McGowan2–3 June 1997 Washington accompanying Secretary of State for Defence30 June–1 July 1997 Bosnia accompanying Chief of the General Staff5–9 October 1998 Cyprus accompanying Secretary of State for Defence27–28 October 1998 Bosnia accompanying Secretary of State for DefenceBernard Gray30 September–1 October 1997 Maastricht accompanying Secretary of State for Defence2–3 December 1997 Brussels—NATO Ministerial—accompanying Secretary of State for Defence13 March 1998 Cyprus one visit—accompanying Secretary of State for Defence14–16 March 1998 Saudi Arabia one visit—accompanying Secretary of State for Defence2 April 1998 Munich—DASA Meeting—Defence Industry Restructuring8 April 1998 Villacoublay, France—talks with French MOD—accompanying Chief of Defence Procurement20 April 1998 France—talks with French MOD—accompanying Secretary of State for Defence10–11 June 1998 Brussels accompanying Secretary of State for Defence18 September 1998 France accompanying Secretary of State for Defence23–25 September 1998 Portugal—NATO Informals—accompanying Secretary of State21 October 1998 Munich—DASA Meeting—accompanying Chief of Defence Procurement17–20 November 1998 USA accompanying Secretary of State for Defence5–7 January 1999 Bosnia accompanying Chief of the Defence Staff31 January–2 February 1999 Macedonia accompanying Chief of the defence Staff4–5 March 1999 USA—Defence Industry Restructuring—accompanying Deputy Chief of Defence Procurement (Support).