Question NW1817 to the Minister of Environmental Affairs
13 June 2018 - NW1817
Cassim, Mr Y to ask the Minister of Environmental Affairs
(1)Whether (a) her spouse and/or (b) an adult family member accompanied her on any official international trip (i) in each of the past five financial years and (ii) since 1 April 2018; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what (aa) is the name of the person(s), (bb) was the (aaa) purpose and (bbb) destination of the trip and (cc) was the (aaa) total cost and (bbb) detailed breakdown of the costs of the accompanying person(s) to her department; (2) whether each of the specified trips were approved by the President in terms of the provisions of Section 1, Annexure A of the Ministerial Handbook; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
Sections 3 and 6 and subsequent subsections of the Ministerial Handbook allows the Executive Members to be accompanied by their spouses or an adult family member instead of their spouses in their official journeys abroad at departmental expenses/costs. Yes, the Minister has been accompanied to a Conference of the Parties (COP) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) by her son and daughter (on separate occasions) as per the Ministerial Handbook.
Details of expenses incurred for such trips for the years in question form part of the departmental audited annual reports submitted to Parliament yearly.
All international trips for members of the executive are processed and approved by the State President.
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