Official Hospitality (Hansard, 9 May 1996)

§ Mr. Soames

During financial year 1995–96 my Department spent £5.105 million on official hospitality. These figures include expenditure incurred by the Ministry of Defence itself, by formations and establishments of the armed forces at home and abroad, and by individual officers occupying command and international appointments for which entertainment allowances are payable. Where responsibility for such expenditure falls to the chief executives of my Department's agencies I have asked the chief executives to reply direct to the hon. Member.

Letter from J. R. Drew to Mr. Tony Banks, dated 9 May 1996:

I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence about how much was spent on official hospitality in his Department and associated agencies in 1995/96 as this matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive of the Army Base Repair Organisation (ABRO).

During the financial year 1995/96 ABRO spent £5,886 on official hospitality.

Letter from K. J W. Goad to Mr. Tony Banks, dated 9 May 1996:

I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence regarding official hospitality by his Department and all associated agencies in the financial year 1995–96. As Chief Executive of the Army Base Storage and Distribution Agency (ABSDA), I reply with the Agency's details.

The total spend on official hospitality for my Agency as a whole (i.e. across all 10 main Depot locations and 24 smaller locations in Great Britain and Germany) in the financial year 1995/96 was £16,389.77.

Thank you very much for your enquiry. I hope this is sufficient detail to meet your requirements. Should you require any further information please contact me.

Letter from Paul Altobell to Mr. Tony Banks, dated 9 May 1996:

I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence about official hospitality as this matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive of the Defence Analytical Services Agency (DASA).

DASA spent £769.24 on official hospitality in financial year 1995/96.

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Letter from A. H. Roache to Mr. Tony Banks, dated 9 May 1996:

As Chief Executive of the Defence Animal Centre (DAC) I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence regarding how much was spent on official hospitality by his Department and all associated agencies in the financial year 1995/96.

The DAC did not expend Agency funds on official hospitality in the period indicated.

Letter from Michael Roycroft to Mr. Tony Banks, dated 9 May 1996:

I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence about expenditure on official entertainment, as this matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive of the Defence Clothing & Textile Agency.

Expenditure on official entertainment for the financial year 1995/96 was £2943. I hope this information answers your question, if I can be of further assistance to you please do not hesitate to contact me.

Letter from John Chisholm to Mr. Tony Banks, dated 9 May 1996:

The Secretary of State for Defence has asked me to reply on behalf of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) to your question about expenditure on official hospitality in 1995/96.

In the financial year 1995/96 DERA spent a total of £47787 on official hospitality.

I hope this information is helpful.

Letter from T McG. Browne to Mr. Tony Banks, dated 8 May 1996:

I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence, the Rt Hon Michael Portillo MP, regarding the cost of official hospitality within the MoD and all associated agencies during financial year 1995/96.

This matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive of the Defence Postal & Courier Services Agency. The official hospitality expenditure by my agency during 1995/96 was £2,100. This figure is provisional and, subject to audit, will be included in my Agency's Annual Report which will be laid before Parliament later this summer.

I hope this information is helpful.

Letter from M. G. R. Hodson to Mr. Tony Banks, dated 9 May 1996:

I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence, about official hospitality, as this matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive of the Defence Transport and Movements Executive Agency.

In the last financial year, the cost of hospitality, which is included in the running cost budget for my agency, was £2,120. This was somewhat higher than usual because I was honoured to host both the Chief Executives' and Agency Administrators' Conferences during 1995.

Letter from Keith Ellender to Mr. Tony Banks, dated 9 May 1996:

I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence about how much was spent on official hospitality in the financial year 1995–96, as this matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive of the Disposal Sales Agency.

The amount spent by my Agency on official hospitality in the financial year 1995–96 was £5,502

Letter from W. E. Spreadbury to Mr. Tony Banks, dated 9 May 1996:

In the absence on duty of the Chief Executive, I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence concerning expenditure on official hospitality.

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This Agency spent £3207 on official hospitality in the financial year 1995–96.

Letter from M. R. Pack to Mr. Tony Banks, dated 9 May 1996:

1. You recently asked the Secretary of State for Defence a Parliamentary Question relating to the costs incurred by the Department and associated agencies in providing official hospitality during the financial year 1995–96. As your question relates, in part, to the Hydrographic Office it has been referred to us for a reply.

2. In the normal course of events my Chief Executive, Rear Admiral Clarke would have replied to you personally but I am afraid he is presently absent from the Office on official duty so I have been asked to reply to you on his behalf.

3. During the financial year 1995–96 a total of £22,387 was expended by the Hydrographic Office on official entertainment.

4. I hope this information has been helpful.

Letter from A. W. Pollard to Mr. Tony Banks, dated 9 May 1996:

I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence about the expenditure on official hospitality by executive agencies. As Chief Executive, this falls within my area of responsibility for the Logistic Information Systems Agency (LISA).

This agency has incurred no expenses in regard to hospitality.

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Letter from J. C. R. Hunt to Mr. Tony Banks, dated 9 May 1996:

As Chief Executive of the Meteorological Office I am replying to your recent question which asked how much was spent on official hospitality in the financial year 1995–96.

The hospitality expenditure in 1995–96 was £24,524. It was spent in the course of winning some £20M worth of commercial business and maintaining in international fora the standing of the Office as a world class science-based organisation.

Letter from M. J. Sands to Mr. Tony Banks, dated 9 May 1996:

I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence about expenditure on official hospitality as this matter falls within the area of responsibility of the Chief Executive as far as the Military Survey Defence Agency is concerned. I regret that the Chief Executive is not available to reply personally due to absence on duty.

The sum spent on official hospitality in this Agency in Financial Year 1995–96 was £6,354. This expenditure was primarily in support of the maintenance and extension of highly cost-effective arrangements for the international exchange of geographic material.

Letter form W. S. Graham to Mr. Tony Banks, dated 9 May 1996:

1. I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence, that asked how much was spent on official hospitality by the 'Naval Aircraft Repair Organisation (NARO)' in the financial year 1995–96 as the matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive of the NARO.

2. The sum of £1,299 (One Thousand Two Hundred and Ninety Nine Pounds) was spent on official hospitality in financial year 1995–96.

Letter from I. P. Somervaille to Mr. Tony Banks, dated 9 May 1996:

The Secretary of State for Defence has asked the Chief Executive of the Naval Recruiting and Training Agency (NRTA) to reply to your Parliamentary Question about the expenditure on official hospitality in the NRTA in the financial year 1995–96. I am replying on behalf of the Chief Executive.

The total expenditure on official hospitality in the NRTA in the financial year 1995–96 is £67,731.45.

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Letter from Brian Raine to Mr. Tony Banks, dated 8 May 1996:

I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence on how much was spent on official hospitality by his Department and all associated agencies in the financial year 1995–96.

Queen Victoria School total for 1995–96 was £4,766.82.

If you have any further questions about this please do not hesitate to contact me.

Letter from P. C. Ayee to Mr. Tony Banks, dated 9 May 1996:

I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence about how much was spent on official hospitality by his department and all associated agencies in the financial year 1995–96, as this matter falls within my responsibility as Chief Executive of the Royal Air Force Signals Engineering Establishment.

In 1995–96 the cost of hospitality, which is included in the running cost budget for my agency, was £975.

Letter from A. A. Nicholson to Mr. Tony Banks, dated 9 May 1996:

I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence about expenditure on official hospitality insofar as this bears on my responsibilities for the Royal Air Force Training Group Defence Agency.

In the financial year 1995/96, the Training Group Defence Agency spent £1964 from its budget on official hospitality. Details of Hospitality Grants made from central funds direct in individual units are not included, but will be incorporated in the figures to be provided for the Department.

I am sending a copy of this letter to the Agency's owner, the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Personnel and Training Command.

Letter from T. S. Mitchelson to Mr. Tony Banks, dated 9 May 1996:

1. I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of Defence about official hospitality as this matter falls within my area of responsibility as the Chief Executive of the Service Children's Education Agency. The information that I supply below for Financial Year 1995/96 relates to the Service Children's Schools (North West Europe) Agency which was subsumed by SCE on 1 April 1996.

2. During 1995/96 £296.58 was spent on official hospitality.

Letter from S. B. J. Wilks to Mr. Tony Banks, dated 9 May 1996:

I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence about the provision of hospitality in the financial year 1995/96, in the absence of the Chief Executive Army Technical Support Agency (ATSA), as this matter falls within his area of responsibility.

ATSA launched in October 1995 but formed as a Directorate on 1 April 1995. During 1995/96 £11,300 was spent on official hospitality.

Letter from M. A. Rowe to Mr. Tony Banks, dated 9 May 1996:

I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence about spending on official hospitality where it relates to my area of responsibility as Chief Executive of the Pay Personnel Agency. I am also replying on behalf of the Defence Accounts Agency which ceased to exist on 1 February 1996, following the creation of the Defence Bills Agency on 1 January 1996 and the return of the Directorate of Financial Management Accounting Services to MOD HQ on 1 December 1995.

The figures you sought, for the two Agencies, are as follows:

Defence Accounts Agency: £608
Pay and Personnel Agency: £137

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Letter from T. R. Thurgate to Mr. Tony Banks, dated 9 May 1996:

I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence about expenditure on official hospitality during the financial year 1995–96 as this matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive of Defence Bills Agency. I can confirm that for the three months from the launch of the Defence Bills Agency on 1 January 1996 until the end of the financial year the total expenditure on hospitality was £46.00.

I trust that this reply meets your requirements.