Executive Spends Over £100,000 a Year on Photos and First Ministers Cannot Say How Much They Spend on Travel
02 October 2012
Statement by TUV leader Jim Allister:
“In March I expressed shock at the news that Stormont had awarded an estimated £400,000 contract split between six firms for the “provision of photographic services”.
“As a result of an Assembly question I have recently discovered that incredibly figures are “not available” for the years 2007/08 and 2008/09 and that for the three years from 2009/10 to 2011/12 a scandalous total of £349,740 was spent by departments on photographs – over £100,000 a year!
“Even more astonishing is OFMdFM’s claim that they are unable to tell me what the total travel and subsistence costs incurred by their Department on trips outside Northern Ireland in each year of the 2007-11 mandate was.
“It is absolutely scandalous that OFMdFM should take such a Cavalier attitude to the spending of public money that they cannot tell the public how much they spend on foreign travel. And it is testament to the failure of devolved government to deliver anything of substance during this time of economic downturn that such colossal sums are spent on ensuring that Ministers have their photo in the paper.
“Next time the public see a Minister smiling out of the paper at them they will doubtless recall that they paid handsomely for the privilege”.
Note to editors
Mr Allister’s questions and the answers provided are as follows:
To ask the First Minister and deputy First Minister how much has been spent on the provision of photographic services to the Executive since May 2007, including the award of the contract for Project 5873 to 6 photographic companies in January 2012.
Figures are not available in all Departments for the years 2007/08 and 2008/09. For the 3 years from 2009/10 to 2011/12 inclusive, £349,740 has been spent across all 11 departments in 2009/10, and all 12 departments in 2010/11 and 2011/12 on the provision of photographic services.
To ask the First Minister and deputy First Minister, pursuant to AQW 116/11-15, what was the total travel and subsistence costs incurred by their Department on trips outside Northern Ireland in each year of the 2007-11 mandate.
Information is not held on the departmental accounting system at the level of detail requested and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
