Statement by TUV leader Jim Allister:
“As part of my campaign to bring greater transparency to the spending of public money I have tabled a series of questions to OFMdFM about overseas travel. Months later the following questions remain unanswered:
Question tabled on 28/09/2011 To ask the First and deputy First Minister to detail (i) the total cost of their recent trip to the USA; and (ii) who accompanied them on their visit.
Question tabled 21/03/2012 To ask the First and deputy First Minister how much has been paid to photographers, or other service providers, for the provision of photographic services to the Executive for work outside Northern Ireland since May 2007.
Question tabled 19/03/2013 To ask the First and deputy First Minister, how many nights the First Minister, deputy First Minister and Junior Ministers were out of the country on official business in 2012.
Question tabled 14/03/2013 To ask the First and deputy First Minister whether they will publish the itinerary of their trips to Brazil and the USA in March 2013.
Question tabled 13/03/2013 To ask the First and deputy First Minister to detail the (i) number; and (ii) position of the people who travelled to Brazil on the business and tourism mission in March 2013; and the total cost of the trip.
Note: Assembly Standing Orders state that “The Minister or member representing the Assembly Commission to whom a question is addressed shall answer it (a) by the end of ten working days after it is published; or (b) in the case of a question for priority answer, by the end of two, three, four or five working days (as the case may be) after it is published.”
