General principle 10.1 Ministers must ensure that they always make efficient and cost-effective travel arrangements. Official transport should not normally be used for travel arrangements arising from Party or private business, except where this is justified on security grounds. Overseas visits 10.2 Ministers should make it their personal responsibility to approve the size and composition of Ministerial delegations for which their department is responsible, including any accompanying special advisers, keeping delegations as small as reasonably possible. Ministers will wish to be satisfied that their arrangements could be defended in public. 10.3 Departments will publish quarterly, details of all travel overseas by Ministers. 10.4 When Ministers travel on official business, their travel expenses should be borne by the departmental vote. Offers of free travel should not normally be accepted. The only exception to this is in the case of an offer of transport from an overseas government provided no undue obligation is created. 10.5 When holding meetings overseas with Ministers and/or officials from overseas governments, or where official business is likely to be discussed, Ministers should always ensure that a private secretary or Embassy official is present. If a Minister meets an external organisation or individual and finds themselves discussing official business without an official present – for example at a social occasion or on holiday – any significant content should be passed back to the department as soon as possible after the event. Ministers should seek guidance in advance from their Permanent Secretary, who should consult the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in cases of doubt. Non-scheduled flights 10.6 Only members of the Cabinet and Ministers in charge of Departments have discretion to authorise special flights either for themselves or other Ministers within their Departments. Non-scheduled flights may be authorised when a scheduled service is not available, or when it is essential to travel by air, but the requirements of official or Parliamentary business or security considerations preclude the journey being made by a scheduled service. Use of special flights by Parliamentary Secretaries should only be approved in exceptional circumstances. 10.7 Non-scheduled flights must not be diverted for journeys to or from party business or constituency visits. When the time factor is critical, diversions from direct routes may, however, be authorised to collect or deliver a Minister to an airfield near his or her home provided that the only extra cost results from the extra flying time needed to carry out the additional landing and take-off. 10.8 In addition, Ministers travelling on business of the defence departments or visiting a Service or Defence Establishment may use Ministry of Defence aircrafts in accordance with rules and procedures approved by the Secretary of State for Defence. Ministers recalled from abroad 10.9 If a Minister is abroad with permission and is called home for ministerial or Parliamentary reasons – including to vote – the cost of the extra journey back and forth may be met by public funds. UK visits 10.10 Ministers intending to make an official visit within the United Kingdom must inform in advance, and in good time, the MPs whose constituencies are to be included within the itinerary. 10.11 Similar courtesies should be extended when UK Ministers are visiting the constituencies of members of the Scottish Parliament, the National Assembly for Wales and the Northern Ireland Assembly. 10.12 Ministers who are planning official visits to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland should inform the Secretary of State concerned. Use of Official cars 10.13 Ministers are permitted to use an official car for official business and for home to office journeys within a reasonable distance of London on the understanding that they are using the time to work. Where practicable, Ministers are encouraged to use public transport. 10.14 The number of Ministers with allocated cars and drivers will be kept to a minimum, taking into account security and other relevant considerations. Other Ministers will be entitled to use cars from the Government Car Service Pool as needed. Party Political occasions 10.15 Where a visit is a mix of political and official engagements, it is important that the department and the Party each meet a proper proportion of the actual cost. 10.16 The Prime Minister, and any other Minister for whom the security authorities exceptionally consider it essential, may use their official cars for all journeys by road, including those for private or Party purposes. Air miles 10.17 Air miles and other benefits earned through travel paid for from public funds, other than where they are de minimis for example, access to special departure lounges or booking arrangements which go with membership of regular flier clubs, should be used only for official purposes or else foregone. If it is impracticable to use the benefits for Government travel, there is no objection to Ministers donating them to charity if this is permissible under the terms of the airline’s scheme and the charity is one chosen by the airline. Travelling expenses of spouses/partners 10.18 The expenses of a Minister’s spouse/partner when accompanying the Minister on the latter’s official duties may occasionally be paid from public funds provided that it is clearly in the public interest that he or she should accompany the Minister. The agreement of the Prime Minister must be obtained on each occasion before travel.