Senator David Burch totted up more than $16,000 in travel expenses last year.

The figures were revealed in a written statement in response to a Parliamentary Question by Senator Kim Swan, who asked: “Would the Honourable Minister please inform the Senate as to the number of overseas trips that he has taken, either alone or with others, at the taxpayer’s expense during the period July 1, 2006 to April 30, 2007?”

Sen. Burch, Minister for Public Safety and Housing, said he had taken four trips and was accompanied on the fourth by the Permanent Secretary.

Asked to provide details, Sen. Burch gave the following information:

* The first trip: airfare $1,077.25; hotel $614.59; with total expenses of $1,691.84.

* The second: airfare $480.45; transport $496.40; hotel $435.19; with total expenses of $1,476.99.

* The third: airfare $2,061.40; hotel $831.12; per diem allowance $600; with total expenses of $3,611.16.

* The fourth: airfare $7,748.65; hotel $1,299.29; per diem allowance $600; with total expenses of $9,792.35.

The Permanent Secretary’s expenses for the final trip were an additional $6,165.21. The airfare was $4,734.35; transport $130.33; and hotel $1,244.09.

In contrast, Senator Philip Perinchief took one overseas trip, at a cost of $6,429.65.

Asked by Senator Bob Richards to detail the trips taken last year at the taxpayer’s expense, Sen. Perinchief said he attended the Overseas Territories Consultative Counsel Meeting — held at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, London — between November 18 to 25.

Sen. Perinchief, Attorney General and Minister of Justice, said he went to the conference unaccompanied and that all hotel costs were covered.

“Airfare costing $6,429.65 was all that was paid. All other expenses were covered by the conference,” said Sen. Perinchief in a written answer.