Justice Minister Spent £34,000 on US Trip During World Cup

A Labour justice minister billed taxpayers £34,230 for a five-day trip to the United States that coincided with the World Cup, according to The Telegraph. Jake Richards racked up over £24,000 on flights alone during the overseas visit.

Sentencing minister Jake Richards travelled to Missouri and Illinois from Sunday July 12 to Thursday July 16, as reported by The Telegraph. Official transparency figures reveal that flight costs, including internal US travel, reached a staggering £24,257.77.

The total bill of £34,230 also included £3,287.99 for accommodation and £3,800 for ground transport. Subsistence and hospitality added a further £2,688.34 to the taxpayer-funded expense sheet, alongside £195.90 in miscellaneous Ministry expenditures.

Mr Richards defended the transatlantic excursion by stating that the objective of the trip was to learn from the United States’ globally recognised justice system. During the visit, the minister met the Governor of Missouri and stopped in Chicago.

The delegation accompanying the minister included his Private Secretary, the Ministry of Justice head of youth sentencing and remand policy, a videographer and photographer, and an international engagement adviser.

The Ministry of Justice confirmed the details of the expenditure following disclosures reported by the newspaper, sparking fresh questions over official travel budgets.

Original source: Read the full report at The Telegraph