HC Deb 18 March 2003 vol 401 cc621-2W
Mr. Laws

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what his estimate is of his Department's spending on(a) consultants, (b) advertising and consultancy, (c) travel and (d) conferences in each year from 1999–2000 to 2002–03; and if he will make a statement. [90357]

Peter Hain

My Department was created on 1 July 1999. Figures for 1999/2000 are not readily available in the format requested.

(a) for spending on consultants, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 12 March 2003, Official Report, column 249W.

(b) for spending on advertising I refer the hon. Member to the answer my predecessor gave the hon. Member for Buckingham on 15 April 2002, Official Report, column 750W.

(c) total expenditure on travel, excluding payments to the Government Car and Despatch Agency, was £86,000 in 2000–01; £105,233 in 2001–02; and has been £121,000 in 2002–03 to date.

(d) there is no separately recorded expenditure on conferences in any year.