§ Mr. BurnsTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department (1) if he will list for each of the last five years the total amount of money spent by Ministers in his Department on food, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks for entertainment purposes; [47207]
(2) how much was spent by departmental special advisers on food, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks for official entertainment purposes in each of the last five years. [46849]
§ Ms Rosie WintertonThe information requested is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
I have previously provided total entertainment expenditure figures for Ministers and Officials relating to the financial years from 1998–99 to 2000–01 and I refer 695W the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Ribble Valley on 6 March 2002, Official Report, column 405W.