§ Mr. HawkinsTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department (1) what arrangements were made for paying for the party at Haymarket House in the summer of 1999 to mark the move of the hon. Member for Leicester, East (Mr. Vaz) from his Department to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office; [147723]
(2) which Ministers were invited to the party which the Lord Chancellor hosted at Haymarket House in summer 1999 to mark the move of the hon. Member for Leicester, East (Mr. Vaz) from his Department to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office; [147725]
(3) which Ministers she informed about the arrangements for paying for the party she hosted at Haymarket House in summer 1999 to mark the move of the hon. Member for Leicester, East (Mr. Vaz) from his Department to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. [147724]
§ Jane KennedyMy hon. Friend the Member for Leicester, East (Mr. Vaz) became a Parliamentary Secretary in the Lord Chancellor's Department on 17 May 1999. The Hinduja Foundation hosted a reception on 22 September 1999 to mark his becoming the first Asian Minister in recent times. Neither the Lord Chancellor nor his Department had any involvement in organising, hosting or paying for the event.
The Lord Chancellor and my hon. Friend the Member for Leicester, East attended the reception. The invitation list, which was cross-Party, was the responsibility of the Hinduja Foundation.
On 11 October 1999, my hon. Friend became a Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.