The Enterprise Minister was last night under fire after taking a return flight to the Baftas just days after promising to crackdown on unnecessary air travel.
Nicol Stephen flew business class to the gala TV and film awards on Sunday night from his home in Aberdeen. He stayed overnight in London, then flew back yesterday to Glasgow.
The total cost to taxpayers for Mr Stephen's trip, which included a £170 hotel room, was £594.
Mr Stephen was invited to the Baftas last week by Scottish Screen, the national film quango, and was a guest on its table.
Just because the Deputy First Minister wanted to mix it with the luvvies, is that a reason for complaint? I suppose that it was deemed to be essential that an Executive minister be present, in which case who could moan about the £594 cost to the taxpayers? In any case, as we noted yesterday (here), Mr Stephen does not attend football or rugby matches; perhaps he finds Kylie and Dame Helen Mirren more congenial company.
2 comments:
I agree, if an MSP needs to take a flight I'm not going to be too fussed really. Once I learn to leave my (one bedroom) flat without leaving the tv, computer and 4 lights on, then maybe I will be in a position to criticise. Not to mention the fact I am flying from Sydney to London in a few weeks (sorry world!)
What actually gets me is why Nicol Stephen needs to be at this TV gala at all? What is he doing there? Do the flight costs come out of public funds or as a guest of Scottish screen do they pay for it? I don't mind the use of public money for such things if I thought it was anything other than a jolly.
I know it's only 500 quid but these stories have popped up too much for my liking over the past 4 years. I think it was tartan day that really annoyed me, the hanger-onners who said off the record that they love getting a free trip to New York.
But then, I could rant for days about the waste of public money in Scotland. I'm not joking, if the Tories had pulled their socks up this year and pulled a half-decent manifesto out the bag, they could have got my vote easy.
I agree with HW, it is a ridiculous story and of course politicians in such positions as Nicol should be attending the BAFTAs to support Scottish films and business. However, the politicians bring on this type of comment by coming out with such brave remarks to cut their air travel by 50%. Perhaps in future they will think about the consequences of what they say before uttering them. That goes for their legislation and bureaucracy too ;-)
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