Mr. Tom Ellisasked the Lord Privy Seal what was the cost in the last two financial years of hospitality and other arrangements for foreign parliamentarians and their wives visiting the United Kingdom.
194W
§ Mr. Blaker[pursuant to his reply, 12 March 1981, c. 406]: The information regarding other visitors is as follows:
The Franco-British Parliamentary Relations Committee 1978–79
A party including 11 French MPs visited this country. Foreign and Commonwealth Office expenditure towards their entertainment by the Committee amounted to £3,440.The Anglo-Polish Round Table Conference 1978–79
A reimbursement of £3,800 was made towards the cost of entertaining a party of 15 Poles, three of whom were parliamentarians. Their visit in fact took place in late 1977.Miscellaneous
In addition, a number of smaller contributions were made from Foreign and Commonwealth Office funds towards the entertainment of visitors sponsored by various organisations. Some of the visitors were parliamentarians, though not necessarily visiting in that capacity. To indentify these costs would involve a disproportionate amount of time.