First Minister John Swinney approved a trip for Sports Minister Maree Todd to the United States, during which Todd opted for economy class travel to significantly reduce costs. However, Swinney and two aides proceeded with business class flights, resulting in a taxpayer bill of £50,000 for their travel.
The total cost for Swinney and Todd's attendance at World Cup matches in Boston and Miami, along with a trade delegation, amounted to approximately £100,000. This figure encompasses flights, hotels, and expenses.
Emails indicate that officials from Active Scotland submitted a request on May 18 for approval of Todd's trip. The following day, the First Minister's private secretary requested a detailed cost breakdown. Officials responded by noting that flight costs were 'much reduced due to opting for economy seats rather than business class.' On June 1, confirmation was sent that Swinney was content for Todd to proceed with the trip and her planned engagements.
Swinney's business class flights alone cost £17,893. An additional £17,893 was spent on the business class ticket for one of his aides, and £9,864 for another. The remainder of his delegation traveled economy class, bringing the total flight costs for Swinney's group to £57,441.
Todd, accompanied by four officials, traveled to Miami from June 22-25. Their travel was entirely in economy class and cost a total of £5,485.
Swinney's trip to the US, from June 11-14, involved attending Scotland's opening World Cup match against Haiti in Boston and a visit to Kentucky to discuss tariff removals on whisky. Todd was in Miami for a match involving Brazil.
Liam Kerr, a Member of the Scottish Parliament, criticized Swinney's decision, stating that it contradicted claims of minimizing trip costs. He highlighted that Swinney was aware of the cost savings from Todd's economy travel but chose not to follow suit. Kerr called for Swinney to explain his decision, especially at a time when many citizens face rising bills and may have saved for significant personal trips.
A Scottish Government spokesperson stated that the First Minister and Sports Minister traveled in an official capacity to support the national team and to engage in activities aimed at strengthening trade, tourism, culture, and diaspora relationships, as well as attracting inward investment to Scotland. The spokesperson added that the cost to the public purse is considered when arranging overseas visits.