§ Norman BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the amount spent by(a) her Department, (b) its agencies and (c) its non-departmental public bodies on hotel accommodation (i) in the UK and (ii) abroad for (A) Ministers, (B) staff and (C) others, and if she will list the average cost per hotel room, in each year since 1997. [117566]
§ Ms HewittThe Government publishes an annual report of ministerial travel overseas, which provides figures for the total cost of ministerial travel including accommodation. The information sought in respect of accommodation in the UK is not held centrally. All ministerial travel is conducted in line with the requirements of the Ministerial Code.
So far as staff are concerned, my Department has devolved to local management the authorisation of staff travel claims, subject to checking procedures. Travel and subsistence expenditure, including on accommodation, for DTI HQ (excluding British Trade International and the DTI Agencies) amounted to 499W £8,061,894 in 2002–03, but the Department does not record centrally expenditure specifically on hotel accommodation, in the UK or otherwise, incurred by staff in HQ or the agencies, or the non-departmental public bodies which DTI sponsors. To provide the information requested would entail disproportionate cost.