Department for Transport: Aviation
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Answer of 24 March 2026 to Question 120039 on Department for Transport: Aviation, what the purpose was of the flight to Colombia; which Ministers and senior officials approved the visit; how many officials travelled on that occasion and at what grade; what the cost was of the visit; and whether an assessment was made of whether those engagements could be (a) conducted remotely and (b) combined with other travel.
Answered by Simon Lightwood
Having taken part in a week-long international negotiations event in the Dominican Republic, a member of the UK delegation at SEO grade travelled onwards to Colombia for a holiday before returning to the UK. The cost of this flight from the Dominican Republic to Colombia was £257.20.
The flight was booked through DfT’s travel agent, but the cost was reimbursed at the time of booking by the individual concerned and recorded internally as personal travel. Overall, the cost of this individual travelling outbound to the Dominican Republic but back from Columbia was less than it would have cost for them to fly to/from the Dominican Republic. These arrangements were agreed in advance by line management.
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