§ Mr. LawsTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his estimate is of the total spending of his Department on entertainment in each year from 1994–95 to 2002–03; and if he will make a statement. [92377]
§ Mr. BlunkettHome Office expenditure on official entertainment is made in accordance with departmental guidance on financial procedures and propriety based on the principles set out in Government Accounting.
The following figures relate to the cost of entertaining non-civil servants (hospitality) and civil servants (management entertainment). Details of such expenditure are only held centrally for financial years 1997–98, to 2001–02. The figures for 2002–03 are forecasts.
The increase in expenditure from 1999–2000 is due to an element of incorrect expenditure coding, resulting coding, resulting in the inclusion of accommodation and subsistence costs. It is not possible, without disproportionate cost to separate these costs, and consequently these figures are not directly comparable with those provided in previous years.
534W
£ 1997–98 37,747 1998–99 44,415 1999–2000 94,370
£ 2000–01 108,925 2001–02 75,808 2002–03 51,440