§ Mr. BayleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much public money will be spent on entertaining, Christmas decorations and other festive activities this Christmas season by his Department and Government agencies answerable to his Department; and of this sum how much will be spent in Ministers' private offices and official residences.
§ Mr. HagueThe cost of decorations, Christmas parties and other festive activities is not normally met out of departmental budgets. For details of total expenditure on official hospitality, I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 28 October 1994,Official Report, column857. Disaggregated information of the kind requested is not available.
§ Mr. BayleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many official Christmas cards he and his Ministers intend to send in 1994; how much these cards will cost(a) to buy, (b) to post and (c) in staff time to sign, address and place in envelopes; and if he will place in the Library a sample copy of the official Christmas card he intends to send this year.
§ Mr. HagueMinisters at this Department intend to send 930 official Christmas cards in 1994, at a cost of £384.75, inclusive of value added tax. Postage costs are estimated at a maximum of £176.70. Staff time spent on the process will be minimal.
Copies of the official Christmas card are on order and so not yet available. Copies will be placed in the Library later.