Trade Delegation to China - Find a freedom of information request

The County Council was recently involved in a delegation of business leaders to Hunan province in China.

1. How many people travelled to China to participate in the delegation?

2. How many Councillors attended?

3. Please name the Councillors who went to China.

4. How many LCC officers attended?

5. How long did the delegates stay in China?

6. How many flights were paid for by LCC, and what was the total cost of flights?

7. What was the cost of accommodation for the trip?

8. What other costs did the delegation incur?

9. Is LCC actively planning to host a delegation of Chinese visitors? If so, what budget has been allocated for the event?

1. 21 delegates travelled from the UK in total and there were 10 China based delegates.

2. Two.

3. Councillors Colin Davie and Barry Dobson.

4. Two – Justin Brown and Simon Murphy.

5. The delegates arrived in China on the evening of Tuesday 12th November and returned on the morning of 15th November.

6. Four - £788.52 each. Total cost £3,154.08. LCC received a grant from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office which represents 75% of the cost of the visit –therefore the net cost to LCC of the flights was £788.50.

7. The cost of accommodation for the four LCC representatives was £1,192. LCC received a grant from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office which represents 75% of the cost of the visit –therefore the net cost to LCC of the accommodation was £298.

8. Other costs were primarily translation and production of information plus interpretation whilst in China to a value of £8,767. LCC received a grant from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office which represents 75% of the cost of the visit –therefore the net cost to LCC of other costs was £2,191.

9. A five year plan will be prepared which will include the hosting of Chinese visitors to Lincolnshire. Until the five year plan has been agreed we cannot prepare a detailed budget for allocation, though the budget for Chinese visits to the UK is likely to be similar to that which has been set out above. The total net cost to LCC of visiting China recently was £3,277 which is less than 1% of the council's economic development budget.