HC Deb 30 June 2003 vol 408 c108W
Norman Baker

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the amount spent by(a) his 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 he will list the average cost per hotel room, in each year since 1997. [117568]

Yvette Cooper

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister was created following the Machinery of Government changes on 29 May 2002. The detailed information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, we can advise that the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's Headquarters spent £3.5 million on travel and subsistence for Civil Servants from 1 June 2002 to 31 March 2003. All travel by staff is conducted in accordance with the requirements of the Civil Service Management Code.

The Government publish an annual report of ministerial travel overseas. The total cost of ministerial travel provided in the annual report includes the costs of accommodation. The information sought in respect of accommodation within the United Kingdom is not held centrally. All travel is conducted in line with the requirements of the Ministerial Code.

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