asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, in view of the financial ban upon foreign travel imposed upon the public, he will limit the number of delegations of hon. Members of this House to foreign countries, other than official Government delegations, where such delegations involve the spending of British currency which would not be permitted to private individuals.

I hope that, now the Parliamentary Recess is over, there will be a natural decline in the number of these delegations.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that since the war there has been an immense increase compared with prewar days of unofficial delegations, deputations and missions by hon. Members of this House; that a great number of people outside this House are questioning the value of these visits at a time when nobody else is going abroad, and in the language of the vernacular, are saying, "These blokes are going to get a free ride and the run of their teeth, and that is all they are out for"?

I have already said, now that the Parliamentary Recess is over and the Sittings of Parliament have resumed, I naturally expect that there will be a decline in the number of these delegations, because hon. Members will no doubt wish to be here rather than touring.

Yes, but why should hon. Members of this House be given a privilege which is not given to people outside? Why should they be allowed to travel in this way when nobody else is allowed to?

There are two things which I would say in reply to that. First of all, it is not the case that no persons other than hon. Members of this House travel abroad at present; there are considerable facilities for people to travel abroad on business and for other purposes. In the second place, it does not rest primarily with me to decide the details of these delegations. Many of them are arranged at the suggestion of the Foreign Office or other Departments concerned.

Could the Chancellor say how much the taxpayer has had to pay to enable these people to travel round the world?

I could not say, but the Tory Party has had its whack of it anyway.