§ Mr. DjanoglyTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many departmental Christmas cards she and her Ministers intend to send in 2002; how much these cards will cost(a) to buy, (b) to post and (c) in staff time to sign, address and place in envelopes; and if she will place in the Library a sample copy of the official Christmas card she has sent this year. [88108]
§ Ms Hewitt[holding answer 19 December 2002]: In total, 800 departmental Christmas cards were sent by Ministers in my Department. The total cost of designing and printing these cards was approximately £269 and the cost to post them was about £250. It is not possible to estimate the staff costs involved in signing, addressing and placing the cards in envelopes without incurring disproportionate cost.
All expenditure incurred in the purchase and despatch of official Christmas cards was made in accordance with the departmental guidance on financial procedures and propriety, based on the principles set out in `Government Accounting'.
I have arranged for a sample of the departmental Christmas card to be placed in the Libraries of the House.