Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 24 March 2026 to WPQ 120039, what the purpose was of the flight to Nepal; which Ministers and senior officials approved the visit; how many officials travelled on that occasion and at what grade; what the cost was of the visit; and whether an assessment was made of whether those engagements could be (a) conducted remotely and (b) combined with other travel.

The Nepal flights were an ‘additional journey’, which is for DfT staff posted overseas. Such journeys are to enable staff and accompanying dependents at qualifying hardship posts to take a break away from local conditions during their posting. This was for an SEO plus partner as an additional journey from their posting in New Delhi. Total costs are only the flight costs totalling £332.10. This is in line with DfT policy and agreed at senior civil service level.