HC Deb 12 February 2002 vol 380 cc227-8W
Mr. Bercow

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list for 1997–98 and each subsequent financial year the amount spent by(a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) its non-departmental public bodies in respect of hotel and other similar privately provided accommodation (i) in the UK and (ii) abroad for (A) Ministers, (B) staff and (C) other persons; if he will list the proportion of this cost incurred in respect of (x) food and (y) alcohol in each case; and if he will list the average cost per hotel room or similar unit of accommodation provided in each case. [34374]

Dr. Whitehead

A list showing the amounts spent by DTLR (C) and each agency has been placed in the Libraries of the House. As much information as can be readily retrieved has been set out, though this differs between agencies, some of whom could not provide all the information required without incurring disproportionate cost.

Expenditure in respect of Ministers is not recorded separately but is included within the figures for DTLR(C).

For overseas travel the Department pays flat rate per diem allowances as advised by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Accordingly it is not possible to determine separate accommodation and food costs.

It is the Department's policy not to reimburse staff directly for alcohol costs. However, where in some cases staff are paid a flat rate allowance for subsistence costs this may be spent on alcohol but information on this is not available.

Information in respect of NDPBs is not available due to disproportionate cost.

Mr. Bercow

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list for 1997–98 and for each subsequent financial year, including the current year to date, the amount spent by(a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) its non-departmental public bodies on (i) food and (ii) alcohol, indicating how much was spent on guests, and how much in respect of (A) Ministers and (B) staff, broken down to show how much was provided directly by his Department and how much reclaimed. [34448]

Dr. Whitehead

The exact answer required cannot be provided in the detail asked for except at disproportionate cost.