Written question asked by Greg Smith (Conservative) on Thursday, 14 May 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 18 May 2026. It was answered by Simon Lightwood (Labour) on Wednesday, 17 June 2026 on behalf of the Department for Transport.
Department for Transport: Aviation
- Question
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To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the answer of 24 March 2026 to WPQ 120039, what the purpose was of each flight to the Philippines; which Ministers and senior officials approved each visit; how many officials travelled on each occasion and at what grade; what the cost was of each visit; and whether an assessment was made of whether those engagements could be (a) conducted remotely and (b) combined with other travel.
- Answer
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The Department for Transport (DfT) undertakes essential international work each year, including for maritime safety and security, which includes direct engagement with other countries and international bodies. While a significant proportion of DfT’s international activity is conducted remotely, in person visits are also necessary to deliver effective engagement and technical assistance, particularly in an operational environment. The visits to the Philippines were programmed to support DfT’s ongoing international activity.
All visits were approved by a Senior Civil Servant in DfT, in line with departmental policy. Where possible, visits have been combined with other official travel.
2 officials (both Senior Executive Officers) delivering a maritime cyber security workshop. Cost: £11,021.
3 officials (all Senior Executive Officers) delivering a maritime security crisis management workshop. Cost £12,651.
1 official (Grade 7) attending the CrewConnect Global Conference, only global maritime conference specifically focused on employment and welfare of seafarers. Cost £4315.
As part of the planning process for each visit, consideration was given to whether the engagement could be conducted remotely. While some preparatory and follow‑up activity was undertaken virtually, it was not possible to conduct these visits fully remotely.
Secondary information
- Type
- Written question
- Reference
- 1255
- Session
- 2026-27
- Related items
- Subjects
- Aviation Department for Transport Philippines
- Contains statistics
- Yes
- Link
- View this Written question on www.parliament.uk
Librarians' tools
- Timestamp
- 2026-07-08 17:36:07 +0100
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