§ Mr. BoyesTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what was the total cost of official entertainment in the Lord Chancellor's Department in each year since 1990–91; if he will list the receptions held in each year at his Department's expense; and what was the cost of each reception.
Mr. John M. TaylorThree principal receptions are funded each year by the Department: the Lord Chancellor's breakfast at the commencement of the legal year, a summer reception given by the Lord Chancellor for members of the media and—since 1992–93—a reception in the Inner Temple given by the Lord Chief Justice. The costs of these events, and the total costs of official entertaining each year since 1990–91, are given in the table.
745WWhile other individual receptions may have been held, the cost of identifying them and their related expenditure would be disproportionate.
Lord Chancellor's Department official entertaining Lord Chancellor's breakfast £ Lord Chief Justice's reception £ Media reception £ Total £ 1990–91 7,105.59 — — 19,022.93 1991–92 8,661.32 — 605.94 20,894.90 1992–93 9,816.84 1,433.89 734.55 20,697.44 1993–94 (to the end of February 8,008.63 1,594.10 653.15 17,463.63