'We tried to minimise costs': Swinney defends £100,000 costs of World Cup trip
The First Minister has said the £45,000 spend on flights to the World Cup was an “attempt to minimise costs”
John Swinney has said the government “tried to minimise costs” despite a taxpayer bill of nearly £100,000 for his World Cup trip.
The First Minister, a junior minister and their aides flew to Boston on June 11 for Scotland's opening match.
He then took part in trade talks in Kentucky three days later.
Mr Swinney and two senior officials travelled business class while the sports minister Maree Todd and others travelled in economy.
Flights for the SNP leader and his private secretary John Webster cost £17,893 each.
Business-class tickets for the first minister's special adviser Colin McAllister cost £9,864.
Mr Swinney said: "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.
"We tried to minimise those costs."
Justice Secretary Neil Gray also defended the business class flights to make sure ministers "arrive fresh" when they travel overseas.
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In total, the government spent £98,442 on trips for Mr Swinney, Ms Todd and their officials to the US, including flights, hotels and expenses.
Mr Gray told the BBC: "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."
Releasing the travel expenses, the government said the US trips were made to support the national team at the World Cup as well as to hold talks on trade, tourism, culture and investment.
Two government spin doctors, four Scottish government staff based in America and two whose identities have been kept private, also accompanied Mr Swinney on his trip to Boston to see the country’s 1-0 victory over Haiti.
The job titles and costs of the two others accompanying the first minister were not disclosed on the grounds it could endanger their physical or mental health.
Ms Todd travelled with four officials - two from Scotland and two from the US - to Miami to see Scotland beaten 3-0 by Brazil.
The Scottish government’s own policy states business-class travel is only permitted if the flying time is ten hours or more yet the flight from Scotland to Boston is seven hours.
Stephen Kerr, the Scottish Tory MSP, said: “Taxpayers will be stunned that they are picking up such a large tab for John Swinney and Maree Todd to have enjoyed themselves at the World Cup.
“Swinney and his ministerial colleague were clearly happy to escape all the challenges facing them back home, but they should have met these significant costs out of their own pocket.”
Overall, the bill was £62,000 for all flights, £16,892 in hotel bills and more than £15,000 for car hire for the two ministerial trips.
The Scottish government said: “The first minister and sport minister Maree Todd travelled to the USA in an official ministerial capacity to support the men’s national team at the World Cup and undertake a programme of engagements to strengthen trade, tourism, culture and diaspora relationships and seek to attract further inward investment in Scotland.
“When arranging ministerial overseas visits, the cost to the public purse is taken into consideration and visits cover a wide range of areas to ensure best value for money.”
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