HC Deb 12 May 2004 vol 421 c355W
Mr. Laws

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his latest estimate is of the amount spent by his Department on official entertainment in each year from 1996–97 to 2004–05. [169008]

Ruth Kelly

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to him and the hon. Member for North Wiltshire (Mr. Gray) on 24 March 2003,Official Report, columns 60–71W.

Expenditure on official entertainment for 2002–03 was £137,000. Figures exclude expenditure on major events such as G7 meetings of ECOFIN. 2003–04 figures will be available after finalisation of the annual resource accounts.