§ Mr. BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 12 May 2000,Official Report, column 496W, concerning his Department's spending on champagne and other wine, in which category such expenditure is recorded; what items in addition to (a) champagne and (b) other wine are recorded in this category; and how much his Department has spent on items in this category in each year since 1 May 1997. [124246]
§ Mr. Hain[holding answer 5 June 2000]: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office records this expenditure as official entertainment. The costs also include such items as catering requirements (including food/drink), related hire charges, and other administration costs (such as invitation cards). The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not maintain a comprehensive central record of these categories of expenditure.