Ministry's travel expenditure

With reference to the Audit Report published by the National Audit Office (NAO) the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would like to make the following clarifications:

(i) This report refers to the expenditure incurred two years ago during the year ending December 31, 2006.

(ii) While every effort was made to keep within the allocated budget, the country's international commitments in 2006 imposed an increase in travel which had not been reflected in the budget allocation of this Ministry for that year. The fact that there was an excess expenditure in that particular year does not necessarily mean that the money spent was spent without good cause or reason or in an unjustified, excessive manner. Suffice it to recall that during that particular year Malta was chair-in-office of the Commonwealth.

(iii) The various concerns and weaknesses pinpointed by the Auditor General have since been rectified. Steps have been taken and internal procedures have been put into place so as to ensure that more and better control on travel expenditure is implemented by this Ministry.

(iv) The Audit Report can give the impression to the layman that this Ministry has spent money which was not part of its allocation.

It is good to point out that any additional budget that this Ministry used was approved and given to us by the Ministry of Finance according to standard governmental procedure after a request was made by this Ministry justifying such extra expenditure.