§ Mrs. SpelmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many conferences have been organised by her Department in the last three years for which figures are available; how much was spent on them; how many were cancelled; and what costs were incurred in respect of cancelled conferences. [160776]
§ Alun MichaelConferences organised by the Communications Directorate of Defra in the last three years for which figures are available are as follows. Records of all conferences carried out by the Department are not held centrally and could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost.
976W
Conference £ Farm Business Recovery—July 2001, Scotch Corner 13,920 Farm Business Recovery—July 2001, Oakhampton 13,860 Farm Business Recovery—July 2001, Carlisle 14,095 Farm Business Recovery—July 2001, Darlington 14,045 Farm Business Recovery-August 2001, Carlisle 13,870 Farm Business Recovery—August 2001, Hexham 14,045 Farm Business Recovery—August 2001, Gloucester 13,860 Farm Business Recovery—August 2001, Bishop Auckland 14,045 Farm Business Recovery—August 2001, Penrith 13,870 Farm Business Recovery—August 2001, Stafford 13,860 Farm Business Recovery—August 2001, Bromsgrove 13,860 Farm Business Recovery—August 2001, Barnstable 13,860 Farm Business Recovery—August 2001, Broughtone 13,870 Farm Business Recovery—August 2001, Hereford 14,170 Farm Business Recovery—August 2001, Skipton 14,045 Farm Business Recovery—August 2001, Carlisle 13,870 Farm Business Recovery—August 2001, Penrith 13,870 Farm Business Recovery—August 2001, Gisbum 13,870 Farm Business Recovery—October 2001, Middlesborough 14,045 Waste Management Seminar—November 2001 13,131 Chemicals Stakeholder Forum—2002 4,690 Rural Revival Seminar—June 2002 1,105 SEAC Open Meeting—2002 37,255 Defra Hunting Hearing-2002 18,143 8 Regional Events On Sustainable Food & Farming—2002 24,240 Noise Forum Conference—2002 313 Countryside Stewardship Campaign, 10th Anniversary Conference 2002 2,158 Foundation workshop—2003 78,500 Organised meetings (radio)—2003 5,000 Organised meetings (material)—2003 8,250 Organised meetings (facilitation)—2003 9,600 Organised meetings (launch)—2003 42,344 Reconvened focus groups—2003 55,000 Second tier meetings—2003 23,176 Additional costs launch meetings—2003 29,176 Flood and Coastal Management Conference—2003 1,360 E-nabling Defra Conference—2003 3,900 England Bio-Diversity Conference—2003 900 IMD Open day—2003 1,405 Better Buildings Summit—2003 26,325 Animal Health & Welfare Stakeholder Event—2003 622 Ethnic Minority Network Conference—2003 7,000 Flood Management Conference—2003 2,022 Rural Services Standard—2003 614 Darwin Lecture—2003 1,050 Growing Media Forum Seminar—2003 8,621 Science & Innovation Open Meeting—2003 8,971 Total 679,801 No conferences were cancelled.
The costs do not include the cost of Departmental staff, details of which are not recorded against each conference.