Seeing is believing?

[garinda]

Do we think it's necessary for our MP's to take advantage of junkets offered by foreign governments, to go on overseas visits?

Is their primary obligation not to their constituents?

Perhaps the time spent travelling would be more profitably used living in an area of their constituency blighted by drugs, or anti-social behaviour, or staying with pensioners, the unemployed, or people with young families, and seeing what life is like for them, and what access they have to facilities in the area.

Besides vastly increasing their carbon footprint, in this technologically advanced age, couldn't all the relevant information be just as easily passed on to them by foreign governments in the form of a DVD, and accompanying detailed notes?

A necessity, or a jolly perk of life as a Member of Parliament?

Lancashire MPs head across the world


'Globetrotting Lancashire MPs have enjoyed more than 30 overseas trips and junkets paid for by foreign governments and other organisations since the last election.
Exotic locations enjoyed by our Westminster politicians during the last five years include the Cayman Islands, Jamaica, the British Virgin Islands, Brazil and Egypt.

Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans was one of themost frequent flyers, with eight trips declared since 2005.

The figures came to light after Commons authorities ruled trips to UK overseas territories like the Cayman Islands ARE covered by strict rules governing the declaration of financial interests.

The ruling followed a BBC investigation which claimed that Chorley MP Lindsay Hoyle enjoyed hospitality in Gibraltar, Cayman Islands and British Virgin Islands and then asked a string of parliamentary questions about those countries without declaring a financial interest.

Mr Hoyle argued he did not have to saying: "In the rules it says foreign governments and foreign countries.

"There is no difference in a sense between me and MPs who have signed an Early Day Motion about the Isle of Man.

"I am absolutely convinced someone has slipped up."

The Gibraltar Government last night leapt to Mr Hoyle's defence, saying it believes there are "special" and "less restrictive" rules for MPs who speak about overseas territories.

But a spokeswoman for the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, Sir John Lyon, told the Evening Post this is not the case and that MPs must declare any financial interests in overseas territories.

An analysis of the Commons Register of Financial Interests also shows that other Lancashire MPs have benefited from flight upgrades and one was even entertained at the World Cup.

Mr Evans' trips include a five-day visit to the Cayman Islands paid by that country's government and a three day trip to Montego Bay, Jamaica, courtesy of Virgin Atlantic.

Mr Evans asked a written question in Parliament about democracy in Egypt a year after visiting the country on a trip paid for by the ruling National Democratic Party.

Speaking from Brussels, he today defended not declaring his trip when he asked the parliamentary question.

"I do not think that question helps Egypt. I think they would actually prefer I didn't ask questions about democracy in Egypt," he said.

South Ribble Labour MP David Borrow has also attended eight foreign trips since 2005, including a visit to the British Virgin Islands, which was paid for by the British Virgin Islands Government.

Mr Hoyle added: "I had six trips in five years. Is that excessive? I think when you look at all MPs, that is pretty low."

Preston MP Mark Hendrick enjoyed two trips to China as well as visits to United Arab Emirates and Germany, which included a ticket to a World Cup game and hospitality from fast food giant McDonald's.

Overseas trips declared in the Register of Financial Interests do not provide the full picture of MP globetrotting.

The rules do not cover visits made on European business, trips paid for wholly by political parties or those undertaken on behalf of select committees.'

Lancashire MPs head across the world - Lancashire Evening Post

[Tealeaf]

They're probably flying to the Cayman Islands in order to check up on their secret bank accounts where they keep their hard-earned expenses cash.

[garinda]

A group of politicians spent tens of thousands of pounds of taxpayers’ money flying to the South Pacific to investigate the impact of climate change, it has been disclosed.

The six members of parliament and two peers spent 16 days in the South Pacific last month as part of a “fact finding” mission. The estimated cost to taxpayers to send the group, who flew business class to Fiji via Australia, was at least £68,200, the Channel 4 Dispatches programme said.'
Taxpayers foot MPs junket to South Pacific 'to investigate climate change' - Telegraph

Globetrotting backbench MPs enjoyed foreign junkets worth £1.4million in a year.
They have travelled around the world at taxpayers' expense, regularly flying first class, staying in five-star hotels and picking up generous daily allowances.
Destinations for members of Commons committees have included the U.S., Canada, India, South Africa, New Zealand and China.

Read more: How backbench MPs' foreign junkets cost us £1.4m | Mail Online

[Tealeaf]

Wow! But how many tons of CO2 did the Pacific junket cost?

[garinda]

Originally Posted by Tealeaf

Wow! But how many tons of CO2 did the Pacific junket cost?

There is more than a little irony to this story, if scientists are to be believed about global warming being accelerated by carbon emissions.

There does seem to be a common thread to these 'fact finding' trips....sunny, and exotic.

Not many seem to be travelling to places like Siberia.

[Tealeaf]

I wonder when we will see Chinese or Ugandan MP's on an exotic fact finding mission to Accy?

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by Tealeaf

I wonder when we will see Chinese or Ugandan MPs on an exotic fact finding mission to Accy?

The Chinese arrived on a fact finding mission to Ossy back in the 60s Tealeaf, the first Chinese chippy was opened

[accyman]

now expenses are scutinised by the press they have to think of new ways to get free holidays and this is one of them

[garinda]

'More than 20 MPs of all parties broke strict Commons rules by failing to declare overseas visits to destinations including the Maldives, the Cayman Islands, Mauritius, Sri Lanka and the British Virgin Islands.'

'David Amess, a Conservative backbencher and chairman of the British-Maldives Parliamentary Group, allegedly tabled 15 questions and took part in debates in which he called for more aid for the Maldives after being given a free stay on a “paradise” Indian Ocean atoll.'

'He told the Commons that his “splendid visit” had given him "an early taste of paradise," before suggesting that the British "could be encouraged to do a little more than is being done at the moment" for The Maldives.
Challenged about the breach of the rules, Mr Amess told the BBC: “It is for the Member to judge whether a financial interest is sufficiently relevant”.'
MPs enjoyed free luxury trips without declaring interest - Telegraph

Terrible.

They might not have declared these trips, and abided by the rules, but I hope they at least had the decency to send a 'Glad you aren't here' postcard, back to their constituents in rainy Britain.