Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many visits were made by Ministers of his Department to Torbay constituency in the 12 months to 14 October 2014; whom the invitation for each such visit was issued by; and what the cost to the public purse was of each such visit.

The following visits were made to the Torbay Borough Constituency in the year since 14 October 2013 alongside the direct cost of the minister’s attendance at the visit:

Date Minister Visit Location Cost

14 November 2013 Earl Howe Watcombe Children's Centre* -

15 November 2013 Earl Howe Torbay and Paignton Hospitals, £201.14

Torbay*

* These were a series of visits which were organised to coincide with the minister attending a meeting in the South-West region; therefore we have provided an overall cost of the three visits.

Invitations to undertake visits can come from a multiple range of sources and organisations or can be organised proactively as a result of Ministers being made aware of best practice and wanting to familiarise him/herself with it in more detail.