Taxpayers have incurred a cost of nearly £100,000 for Scottish First Minister John Swinney and another SNP minister to attend the World Cup in the United States to support Scotland's national team. The trip, which included a delegation of aides and officials, involved flights, car hire, and hotels.
John Swinney traveled to Boston from June 11-14 to watch Scotland play Haiti, before visiting Kentucky from June 14-15. His travel costs, including business class flights for himself and two aides, totaled £17,893 for his own flight, £17,893 for his private secretary, and £9,864 for his special adviser. The remaining delegation, which included communications staff, a content manager, a visits and events official, and members of the Scottish Government's US office, traveled economy class. The total cost for the First Minister's delegation's flights was £57,441, with an additional £14,082 spent on hotels and £10,095 on car hire.
Minister for Mental Wellbeing, Public Health, Sport, Alcohol and Drugs, Maree Todd, attended the national team's match against Brazil in Miami from June 22-25 with four officials. Their travel was all economy class, costing £5,485 for flights, £2,810 for hotels, £5,458 for car hire, and £550 for expenses.
In total, the expenses for Swinney's trip amounted to £98,442. While Scotland won their opening fixture, the team did not qualify from the group stage after further defeats.
Critics, including Scottish Conservative MSP Stephen Kerr and Scottish Labour deputy leader Dame Jackie Baillie, expressed concern over the significant public expenditure for ministerial travel to the World Cup, particularly given the costs associated with business class flights for senior officials. Sam Taylor, founder of the think-tank These Islands, noted that while senior government travel is often business class, nearly £50,000 for flights for just three people was a high price. He contrasted this with Ms. Todd's more frugal travel arrangements.
Mr. Swinney had previously denied the trip was a taxpayer-funded 'jolly,' stating that ministers undertake official business and that he had a packed schedule of investment discussions. His itinerary included visits to Harvard University, meetings with Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and Governor of Massachusetts Maura Healey, and trade engagements with industry associations.
The Scottish Government stated that the First Minister and Ms. Todd traveled to support the national team and to undertake engagements aimed at strengthening trade, tourism, culture, and diaspora ties, as well as promoting investment in Scotland. They added that decisions on ministerial travel consider logistics, journey times, and operational needs, and may involve a mix of travel classes to ensure value for money. They also highlighted the unique opportunity presented by Scotland's first World Cup qualification in nearly three decades to promote Scottish interests on a global stage.