To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the total expenditure was on flowers for the residential accommodation provided for (a) members of the Army Board, (b) the Chief of the General Staff, (c) the Assistant Chief of the General Staff and (d) the Adjutant-General in 2006. (128818)

Of the 12 members of the Army Board, four have Official Service Residences (OSR): the Chief of the General Staff, Commander in Chief Land, the Adjutant-General, and the General Officer Commanding Northern Ireland. Flowers can be provided only for OSRs as part of the cost of official entertainment.

There is no requirement to hold information regarding official entertainment costs to the level of detail that would allow the cost of flowers to be identified, and the information requested is not therefore available for the Chief of the General Staff and the Commander in Chief Land. For the Adjutant General expenditure on flowers was £72.12 and for the General Officer Commanding (Northern Ireland) it was £190 during 2006.