§ Mr. LawsTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his latest estimate is of the amount spent by his Department on official entertainment in each year from 1996–97 to 2004–05. [169006]
§ Fiona MactaggartHome Office expenditure on official entertainment is made in accordance with departmental guidance on financial procedures and propriety based on the principles set out in Government Accounting.
1367WThe following figures relate to the cost of entertaining non-civil servants (hospitality ) and civil servants (management entertainment). Details of such expenditure have only been held centrally since 1997–98.
The increase in expenditure from 1999–2000 is due to an element of incorrect expenditure coding, resulting in the inclusion of accommodation and subsistence costs. It is not possible, without incurring disproportionate cost, to separate these costs and, consequently, these figures are not directly comparable with those provided in previous years.
Total (£) 1997–98 37,747 1998–99 44,415 1999–2000 94,370 2000–01 108,925 2001–02 75,808 2002–03 70,591 2003–04 89,072 Forecast figures for the year 2004–05 are not available.