To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much the Identity and Passport Service spent on sending officials Christmas cards in each of the last two years for which figures are available. (104646)

In 2005 the United Kingdom Passport Service spent £1,280 in total on Christmas cards. In 2006 the Identity and Passport Service will spend £1,030 in total on Christmas cards.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much the Identity and Passport Service spent on official entertaining in each of the last two years for which figures are available. (104647)

The Identity and Passport Service undertakes minimal official entertaining and this would be mainly limited to the provision of sandwich lunches to visitors to our facilities.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much the Identity and Passport Service spent on food and alcohol for its staff working out of office in each of the last two years for which figures are available. (104648)

The Identity and Passport Service provides subsistence to its staff who are required to work out of their normal base in line with Home Office travel and subsistence rules. In addition working lunches are provided in certain circumstances. The total amounts the Agency has spent in the last two years are as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many overseas visits have been made by staff at the Identity and Passport Service in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and what the total cost was of these visits. (104651)

Separate records on the number of overseas trips is not held separately, but the cost of overseas journeys undertaken by UK Passport Service staff are as follows: