Nicola Sturgeon spent nearly £150,000 of taxpayers’ cash on attending Cop-27 climate summit in Egypt as ex-first minister and staff racked up £45,000 hotel bill and submitted receipts for 18 burgers during two-week stay
- List of expenses shows 25 rooms were booked at the Parrotel Beach Resort
Nicola Sturgeon and Scottish Government officials billed taxpayers nearly £150,000 for their attendance at the Cop-27 climate summit in Egypt last year.
A Freedom of Information request has revealed the spending of Scotland’s delegation at the Sharm El-Sheikh gathering, including that of the ex-first minister.
The list of expenses showed 25 rooms were booked at the Parrotel Beach Resort for a two-week stay last November at a cost of almost £45,000.
The hotel, which overlooks the Red Sea, offers four restaurants, three swimming pools, direct beach access, a sauna, spa and tennis courts.
Ms Sturgeon’s flights for her five-day attendance at the Cop-27 summit were shown to cost £1,553.36.
The ex-SNP leader, who departed as first minister in March, travelled to the climate conference despite Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also attending on behalf of the UK Government.
A number of Scottish Government attendees were revealed to have stopped over in Milan on their way to Sharm El-Sheikh, with a number of receipts submitted for meals in the Italian city.
The 24-page list of expenses also included 18 separate receipts for burgers, including a ‘Whopper Large’ at Burger King.
Nicola Sturgeon and Scottish Government officials billed taxpayers nearly £150,000 for their attendance at the Cop-27 climate summit in Egypt last year
A Freedom of Information request has revealed the spending of Scotland’s delegation at the Sharm El-Sheikh gathering, including that of the ex-first minister
The list of expenses showed 25 rooms were booked at the Parrotel Beach Resort for a two-week stay last November at a cost of almost £45,000
The hotel, which overlooks the Red Sea, offers four restaurants, three swimming pools, direct beach access, a sauna, spa and tennis courts
The 24-page list of expenses showed Scottish Government attendees stopped over in Milan on their way to Sharm El-Sheikh
Taxpayers were also billed for pizza, sushi, tapas, quiches, ice cream, croissants, Pringles crisps and Marks and Spencer watermelon fingers.
The most expensive item listed was £75,705 for the rental of office space and a pavilion at Cop-27.
There were also 17 mobile phones bought from Vodaphone at a cost of £765, as well as a further £170 for 17 sim cards.
The Telegraph reported Ms Sturgeon travelled by train to London before flying direct to Egypt in economy class.
During her attendance at the Cop-27 summit, Ms Sturgeon pledged an extra £5million from the Scottish Government in ‘loss and damage’ cash for climate-hit communities.
It came as the Egypt gathering saw tensions simmer between developing countries and richer nations as part of a row over climate ‘reparations’.
Scottish Conservative MSP Douglas Lumsden criticised the ‘astonishing sum’ spent by Ms Sturgeon’s administration on the climate summit.
He told the newspaper: ‘This is an astonishing sum for the Scottish government to have shelled out so that Nicola Sturgeon and other SNP figures could grandstand at Cop 27.
‘People will be appalled that, at the height of a cost-of-living crisis and savage SNP cuts to public services, no expense was spared sending the former First Minister and her entourage to Sharm El-Sheikh.
‘It speaks volumes about the nationalists’ priorities that she chose to focus on promoting herself on the global stage, rather than deal with the real issues facing ordinary Scots.’
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: ‘A Scottish presence at COP27 was vital in order to continue the legacy of COP26 in Glasgow – not least in pushing for greater action to support global south countries experiencing loss and damage as a result of climate change.
‘Ministers and officials undertook a significant programme of engagement with national and regional governments, climate experts and campaigners, including those from the global south.
‘COP is the single most important annual event for agreeing action on the climate crisis, and this level of engagement and cooperation would not have been possible without attending in person.’
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