The British government’s decision to hand-deliver a letter to trigger the start of its official exit of the European Union cost the country’s taxpayers nearly £1,000, according to figures disclosed to the Guardian.
The travel expenses for the two civil servants who traveled to Brussels to personally submit the letter to Donald Tusk, the EU council president, included two business class Eurostar return tickets, as well as a booking and change fee, according to a freedom of information request by the British newspaper. The total cost for the trip was £985.50.
Theresa May, the country’s prime minister, signed the letter in front of television cameras on March 29, 2017 before it was hand-delivered to Tusk by Tim Barrow, Britain’s ambassador to the EU.
In response, the U.K. government said the cost of submitting the Article 50 letter was limited to the train tickets.
“There were no other quantifiable costs associated with their travel,” officials said in response to the freedom of information request, adding that food was provided on the train and the civil servants stayed at the U.K.’s official residence in the Belgian capital.