§ Mr. LawsTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what his latest estimate is of the amount spent by his Department on official entertainment in each year from 1996–97 to 2004–05. [169000]
§ Mr. LammyExpenditure by both Officials and Ministers on entertainment for the financial year 2003–04 was £79,050 (£64,718—covers costs related to Ministers and the Lord Chancellor, and £14,332—costs related to Officials), in 2002–03 was £43,378, in 2001–02 was £44,730, in 2000–01 was £60,768, in 1999–2000 was £71,166 and in 1998–99 was £45,087.
Information on previous years and the current year is not readily available.