Scottish government spends £100k on US trips

The Scottish government spent almost £100,000 on official visits to the United States in June.

John Swinney visited Boston for Scotland's opening game in the World Cup

Swinney and his private secretary John Webster flew business class, costing £17,893 each, while Justice Secretary Neil Gray defended the flights as a means of ensuring ministers

The Scottish government spent almost £100,000 on official visits to the United States in June. John Swinney visited Boston for Scotland's opening game in the World Cup.

Swinney and his private secretary John Webster flew business class, costing £17,893 each, while Justice Secretary Neil Gray defended the flights as a means of ensuring ministers arrive fresh when they travel overseas.

Business-class tickets for Swinney's special adviser Colin McAllister cost £9,864. The government spent a further £11,800 on economy-class flights for several officials accompanying Swinney, as well as more than £10,000 on car hire for the first minister's visit to Miami.

The cost of plane tickets for Justice Secretary Neil Gray was not specified in the report.

Direct flights from Edinburgh to Boston typically last about seven hours. The Scottish government's travel rules state that business-class flights should only be used on flights of more than 10 hours unless otherwise agreed.

Swinney told BBC Scotland News: 'Obviously, when flights have got to be booked, when there's intense pressure on the time involved, then the costs are likely to be higher.' He added: 'We tried to minimise those costs.'

Maree Todd visited Miami for three days to watch Scotland play their third World Cup game. Earlier, Justice Secretary Neil Gray defended the use of business-class flights.

He told BBC Radio Scotland Breakfast: 'These are busy trips for ministers and it is right that they are able to arrive fresh, they're able to arrive in a way that means that they're able to participate and do their work immediately, so I think that's a proportionate use.'

Economy Secretary Stephen Flynn defended Swinney's business-class flights as a means of increasing Scotland's 'soft-power reach' and making significant international connections.

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.'

How the Tartan Army captured the heart of Boston

The Scottish government spent almost £100,000 on official visits to the United States in June. John Swinney visited Boston for Scotland's opening game in the World Cup.

Swinney and his private secretary John Webster flew

The Scottish government spent almost £100,000 on official visits to the United States in June. John Swinney visited Boston for Scotland's opening game in the World Cup.

Swinney and his private secretary John Webster flew business class, costing £17,893 each, while Justice Secretary Neil Gray defended the flights as a means of ensuring ministers arrive fresh when they travel overseas.

Business-class tickets for Swinney's special adviser Colin McAllister cost £9,864. The government spent a further £11,800 on economy-class flights for several officials accompanying Swinney, as well as more than £10,000 on car hire for the first minister's visit to Miami.

The cost of plane tickets for Justice Secretary Neil Gray was not specified in the report. Direct flights from Edinburgh to Boston typically last about seven hours. The Scottish government's travel rules state that business-class flights should only be used on flights of more than 10 hours unless otherwise agreed.

Swinney told BBC Scotland News: 'Obviously, when flights have got to be booked, when there's intense pressure on the time involved, then the costs are likely to be higher.' He added: 'We tried to minimise those costs.'

Maree Todd visited Miami for three days to watch Scotland play their third World Cup game. Earlier, Justice Secretary Neil Gray defended the use of business-class flights.

He told BBC Radio Scotland Breakfast: 'These are busy trips for ministers and it is right that they are able to arrive fresh, they're able to arrive in a way that means that they're able to participate and do their work immediately, so I think that's a proportionate use.'

Economy Secretary Stephen Flynn defended Swinney's business-class flights as a means of increasing Scotland's 'soft-power reach' and making significant international connections.

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.'