To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much her Department spent on (a) external room hire and (b) conference exhibition stands in the last year for which figures are available. (103896)

The costs for external room hire incurred by the Department are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

In the last financial year (2005-06) the Department spent £303,000 on our corporate attendance at 60 external conferences and events covering core areas of the Department's policy remit. Events included the Local Government Association annual conference, the Social Housing exhibition, the national Fire Safety conference, the CIH Lettings and Homelessness conference, and the Young People Now annual conference.