AIRMILES MANDELSON HITS TURBULENCE OVER TRAVEL SPENDING

AIRMILES MANDELSON HITS TURBULENCE OVER TRAVEL SPENDING

SNP MP and Treasury Spokesperson Stewart Hosie MP has hit out at the
Business Secretary, Lord Mandelson, after it emerged the Department of
Business, Enterprise and Skills had spent an astonishing £3.4m on
international travel in 2009 alone.

Peter Mandelson was made a life peer by Prime Minister Gordon Brown in
October 2008 so that he could rejoin the UK Labour Government despite not
being elected. Last summer, Peter Mandelson said the UK faced 10 years of
austerity – but appears to have been racking up the airmiles ever since.

In a written answer, the Department for Business, Enterprise and Skills
(formerly the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform)
reveals that it has spent almost £10 million on international travel in
the last three years.

Commenting, Mr Hosie said:

“Everyone knows Peter Mandelson wanted to be Foreign Secretary, and from
the look of his travel budget you would think he got the job. The Business
Secretary has more airmiles than Judith Chalmers and people will wonder
whether his department's spending on travel is totally essential and
represents good value for money.

“At a time when people are tightening their belts as a result of Labour's
recession, UK Ministers really need to show some restraint in how they are
spending taxpayers money. Of course business interests must be represnted
abroad but, in these tough times, we need to know that money is being
spent wisely.

“It is absurd that the UK Government is allowing such largesse in travel
budgets whilst inflicting damaging cuts on Scotland’s budget for frontline
services.