近日，英国首相布莱尔又成了众人指责的对象。有媒体批露，布莱尔一家在圣诞假期中乘坐女王专机前往埃及度假，不仅他所花费的高达10万英镑的乘机费用出自英国纳税人的口袋中，他旅行的时间还安排在印度洋海啸大灾难期间。

　　据英国《每日电讯报》1月9日报道，布莱尔一家前往红海旅游胜地森美石旅行时，乘坐的是英国皇家空军32中队的一架BAe146型飞机。该机为英国女王和王室成员的专机。按照英国国会规定，只要支付每小时8000英镑的费用，首相也有资格使用该专机，若是因公事出行，还可免去其中大部分费用。

　　针对国内有关布莱尔在海啸灾难期间免费乘坐女王专机出游的指责声，唐宁街表示，因为在旅行中还要执行公务，布莱尔所支付的乘机费用未达到女王专机的要求，尽管如此，他还是支付了相当于乘坐普通商务机的费用。

　　但英国保守党提出置疑，为什么布莱尔总爱在节假日旅行中处理公务？英国下院议员克里斯·格雷林更是要求国会公布布莱尔从1997年以来乘坐女王专机的次数和费用的清单。格雷林说：“在过去几年里，首相在节假日出游似乎都在使用女王的专机。我想知道，他为此花费了多少费用，他是否都适当地支付了这些应归还给纳税人的钱，或者这是否就是首相的特权。”

　　唐宁街指出：“布莱尔首相在旅程中会见了埃及总统、约旦国王、巴林国王，并还与其它国家的领导人进行了意义重大的电话通话。”唐宁街发言人还指出，使用英国皇家空军的飞机主要是考虑到安全问题。女王的专机都配有防御导弹等安全保护系统。

　　报道说，由英国希思罗机场，途径开罗，开往红海森美石的埃及航空公司往返机票为每人434英镑。私人包机的费用近8万英镑。(蒋黎黎)

　　Tony Blair is facing fresh criticism over his holiday arrangements after the disclosure that he cost taxpayers up to ?100,000 by using the Queen's Flight to travel with his family for a Christmas break in Egypt, during the height of the tsunami crisis.

　　They used an RAF 32 Squadron BAe 146, which is also used by the Queen and the Royal Family, to fly to Sharm el Sheikh. Under Commons rules, the Prime Minister is entitled to use the flights, which cost more than ?8,000 an hour, but must repay an unspecified proportion of the costs unless he travels wholly on official business.

　　Downing Street said that Mr Blair had paid the equivalent of a commercial flight - substantially less than the Queen's Flight cost - because he conducted some official business.

　　The Conservatives, however, questioned why he repeatedly appeared to add an element of business to holiday trips. Chris Grayling, the MP for Epsom and Ewell, is demanding full details under the Freedom of Information Act of the extent of Mr Blair's use of the Queen's Flight, and how much he has paid since 1997.

　　Last month, Mr Grayling sparked an official investigation by the parliamentary commissioner for standards after complaining that the Prime Minister had not declared a 2002 holiday at the French home of Alain Dominique Perrin, a leading figure in the tobacco industry. Mr Blair could be forced to apologise to the Commons.

　　Mr Grayling said: "The Prime Minister appears to have used the Queen's Flight for the majority of his holidays over the years. I want to know how much he has been invoiced for and whether he has always paid the proper amount back to the taxpayer or whether this is a way of getting freebies."

　　Downing Street said that Mr Blair had met President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt, the King of Jordan, the King of Bahrain and made a "significant number of phone calls to other world leaders" during his stay. A spokesman said that the RAF plane was used because of security advice. The Queen's Flight is equipped with defensive missiles and armour plating to protect against small arms fire.

　　A return flight from Heathrow to Sharm el Sheikh, via Cairo, is ?434 per person on Egypt Air. A private charter would be nearer ?80,000. There are no direct commercial flights.