Full story
£98,442 US trip defended
Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney defended the use of more than £45,000 of public funds on business-class flights for him and two senior aides to the World Cup, with the Scottish Government spending £98,442 on trips for Swinney, sports minister Maree Todd and their officials to the US.
“In total, the government spent £98,442 on trips for Swinney, Todd and their officials to the US”
The BBC said Swinney flew to Boston on 11 June for Scotland’s opening match before taking part in trade talks in Kentucky three days later, while Todd and several other officials went on cheaper economy-class flights.
STV News reported that data published by the Scottish Government under freedom-of-information legislation showed almost £100,000 was spent on Swinney and officials to visit Boston and Kentucky, along with another visit to Miami by Todd for the team’s final group stage tie against Brazil.
STV News also said flights for the First Minister, his private secretary John Webster and chief of staff Colin McAllister—each in business class—cost more than £45,000, while hotels for the trio cost £3,212 and Todd and her private secretary flew economy for £1,471.
Swinney, Gray and critics
Swinney told the BBC Scotland News that "when flights have got to be booked, when there’s intense pressure on the time involved, then the costs are likely to be higher," adding "We tried to minimise those costs."
Justice Secretary Neil Gray defended the business-class flights on BBC Radio Scotland Breakfast, saying: "These are busy trips for ministers, and it is right that they are able to arrive fresh" so they can participate immediately.
Conservative MSP Stephen Kerr said: “Nobody begrudged SNP ministers joining the Tartan Army to cheer on Scotland men’s team at their first World Cup appearance in nearly three decades, but in typical SNP fashion costs were never kept under control.”
The BBC also reported that Economy Secretary Stephen Flynn defended the trip by saying: "If we want our politicians to go and sit in row 46 beside the toilets" and then engage with US government officials, "we'll get exactly what we deserve as politicians."
Rules, routes and totals
The BBC said the Scottish government’s travel rules state business-class flights should only be used on flights of more than 10 hours "unless otherwise agreed," while direct flights from Edinburgh to Boston typically last about seven hours.
“business-class flights should only be used on flights of more than 10 hours "unless otherwise agreed"”
The Herald reported that under the government’s own travel policy, business class is only supposed to be used on flights of ten hours or more, and that most direct flights from Scotland to Boston takes around seven hours.
The Herald put Swinney’s US time from June 11-14 for Scotland’s opening match, a 1-0 win over Haiti, before travelling on to Kentucky until June 15 for trade engagements with the bourbon industry, and it said his itinerary included meetings with Boston mayor Michelle Wu and Massachusetts governor Maura Healey and a stop at Harvard.
For the Miami trip, The Herald said Todd travelled separately from June 22-25 with four officials and flew economy throughout at a cost of £1,471, with her total bill coming to around £14,300 including £5,458 on car hire, £2,810 on hotels and £550 in expenses.