Accommodation Costs (Hansard, 25 March 2002)

§ The Solicitor-General

[holding answer 11 February 2002]: In my own Department, the Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers, the following sums were spent on hotels and other similar privately provided accommodation in 1997–98 and subsequent financial years.

Subsistence UK

£11,791 in 1997–98—of which sum £9,192 arose from the additional costs created by the review of the CPS carried out by Sir Iain Glidewell.
£3,641 in 1998–99
£2,843.04 in 1999–2000
£5,107 in 2000–01
£3,975.63 in 2001/02.

Subsistence abroad

£1,043.82 in 1997–98
£610.32 in 1998–99
£2,037.55 in 1999–2000
£996.62 in 2000–01
£260.80 in 2001–02.

The accounting system used by the Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers does not divide these costs to show the amounts spent on hotels, food and alcohol. It would not be possible to provide details on the cost of hotels without incurring disproportionate cost.

Crown Prosecution Service

In the financial year 1997–98 and each subsequent financial year the Crown Prosecution Service has spent the following amounts on hotels and other similar privately provided accommodation:

£261,000 in 1997–98
£290,000 in 1998–99
£395,000 in 1999–2000
£623,000 in 2000–01.

This expenditure relates only to CPS staff.

The CPS also reimburses prosecution witnesses who have to stay overnight in order to give evidence at court. The rates applied to such reimbursement are the same as the rates applied to staff expenditure. Expenditure since 1997–98 has been as follows:

£294,000 in 1997–98
£344,000 in 1998–99
£324,000 in 1999–2000
£354,000 in 2000–01.

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The Department does not maintain separate records for expenses incurred in the UK and abroad. It would not be possible to identify the cost of food without incurring disproportionate cost. Staff may claim a meal and incidental travel cost allowance of £25 and a personal incidental expenditure allowance of £5 per night, while away from home on official business.

The Department does not pay for alcohol for members of staff who travel on official business.

It is not possible to list the average cost per hotel room. From November 1999 new maximum rates were applied to the cost of bed and breakfast of up to £95 per night in London and other metropolitan areas and £65 per night elsewhere.

The marked increase in staff expenditure in 2000–01 compared with the previous years was a result of the aftermath of the Hatfield rail crash and the consequent disruption to public transport. Because of the extended journey times, particularly between the two headquarters' sites in London and York, officers were required to stay overnight more frequently.

Treasury Solicitor's Department

The total amounts spent on both travel and subsistence by the Treasury Solicitor's Department, HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate (since April 2001) and the Government Property Lawyers' Agency in the last four years were as follows:

Treasury Solicitor's Department

£308,000 in 1997–98
£327,000 in 1998–99
£202,000 in 1999–2000
£396,000 in 2000–01
£318,000 in 2001–02 (to 31 December)

Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate

£130,000 in 2001–02 (to 31 December)

Government Property Lawyers' Agency

£13,000 in 1997–98
£10,000 in 1998–99
£37,000 in 1999–2000
£1,000 in 2000–01
None in 2001–02.

The contract management and financial analysis systems currently in place at the Treasury Solicitor's Department mean that the Department could not provide the detailed information requested without incurring disproportionate cost. These systems are being upgraded as part of the improvement in financial management on which the Department has embarked. Most of the improvements should be concluded in the course of the financial year 2002–03.

Serious Fraud Office In the financial year 1997–98 and each subsequent financial year the Serious Fraud Office has spent the following amounts on hotel and other similar privately provided accommodation:

Staff UK

£81,454.47 in 1997–98
£72,168.63 in 1998–99
£62,899.98 in 1999–2000
£91,391.53 in 2000–01
113,500.55 in 2001–02 (to date)

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Staff abroad

£48,252.72 in 1997–98
£20,459.23 in 1998–99
£34,664.19 in 1999–2000
£67,487.77 in 2000–01
50,528.58 in 2001–02 (to date)

Witnesses UK

£21,607.48 in 1997–98
£93,015.87 in 1998–99
£11,880.96 in 1999–2000
53,725.28 in 2000–01
£5,879.36 in 2001–02 (to date).

The Serious Fraud Office does not have either agencies or non-departmental public bodies and does not provide financial support to Ministers.

The Department does not pay for alcohol for members of staff who travel on official business.

Details of the breakdown between expenditure on food and accommodation and the average cost of such accommodation could not be made available without incurring disproportionate cost.