The entertainment expenses claimed by non-ministerial members of the Army Board, as presented on 17 April 2007, Official Report, column 535W, and 19 June 2007, Official Report, column 1761W, include the costs of alcohol for the official functions in question.
Neither the Assistant Chief of the General Staff nor 2nd Permanent Under-Secretary incurred any expenditure on alcohol for official entertainment.
The Chief of the General Staff and his immediate predecessor claimed costs of approximately £521.33 for alcohol expenses for official entertainment in 2006, broken down as follows:
Date Event/reason Amount (£) 7 February Lunch with Chief of the General Staff, Italy 190.00 15 March The Friends of the Army Dinner 190.00 21-25 May The Kermit Roosevelt Lecture Tour 94.47 21 June Lunch with Chief of the Defence Staff New Zealand 225.00 16-20 July Visit of Vice Chief of the Army Staff Pakistan 96.26 12 December Lunch with Chief of the General Staff Sweden 125.60 1 Estimated costs based on the cost of events of a similar nature. 2 Estimated cost.
The Adjutant-General claimed £394.83 for the cost of alcohol for official entertainment in 2006. A breakdown is set out in the following table:
Date Event/reason Amount (£) 23 January Visit of Master General of Ordnance 24.45 13 February Visit of Quarter Master General with Director Army Legal Services and Senior Defence Lecturer, Cranfield 28.54 20 February Army 3-star officer and senior civilian representatives 21.36 1 March Visit of Senior Minister of the Catholic Group (Army) 28.00 30 March Visit of Assistant Chief General Staff 35.34 27 April Military and civilian staff Headquarters Adjutant General 31.12 8 May Visit of Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Personnel) and senior officers concerned with welfare/personnel issues 23.34 12 June Visit of CinC Land Command 35.82 23 August Visit of Judge Advocate General and hosting of Private Secretary to TRH Princes William and Harry 22.70 31 August Visit of Governor Royal Hospital Chelsea 27.99 12 September Visit of Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff (Reserves and Cadets) regarding Territorial Army soldiers operational and welfare needs 22.74 4 October Visit of Chief Constable Wiltshire Constabulary 19.25 17 October Sir Max Hastings, General Sir Mike Jackson, Sir Ronnie Hempel and senior military personnel 26.62 15 October Visit of Minister of State for Armed Forces and Member for Air Personnel 20.37 21 November Visit of Chief Constable Hampshire Constabulary (enhancement of relations and working best practice) 27.19
The General Officer Commanding Northern Ireland claimed £770.63 for the cost of alcohol for official entertainment in 2006. The events were:
Date Event/reason Amount (£) 21 January Unit Cohesiveness event. Civilian and military staff from throughout the Command 57.29 2 February Entertainment to foster relationships within the wider community 51.45 9 February Visit by Dir CT&UK Ops, MOD 51.51 13 May Unit Cohesion event. Civilian and military staff from throughout the Command 20.29 15-18 May Visit by GOC NI (designate) 4.75 18 May Entertainment to foster relationships within the wider community 49.02 1 August Unit cohesiveness event. Civilian and military staff from throughout the Command 16.95 11 September Entertainment to foster relationships within the wider community 60.39 19 September Entertainment to foster relationships within the wider community 70.02 17 October Entertainment to foster relationships within the wider community 69.63 24 October Entertainment to foster relationships within the wider community 49.91 21 November Entertainment to foster relationships within the wider community 62.07 23 November Visit by Deputy Adjutant General 35.48 6 December Entertainment to foster relationships within the wider community 63.61 19 December Unit cohesiveness event. Civilian and military staff from throughout the Command 108.26
The Commander in Chief Land Command claimed £1,294.60 for the cost of alcohol for official entertainment in 2006, broken down as follows:
Date Event/reason Amount (£) 25 January Hosting visit by UK dignitaries 152.59 5 March Hosting visit by UK dignitaries 101.70 6 March Hosting foreign visitor 26.10 21 March Unit cohesiveness 136.98 4 April Hosting visit By UK dignitaries 87.24 18 April Unit cohesiveness 72.90 18 May Entertainment to foster relationships with wider community 143.63 23 May Unit cohesiveness 117.36 10 June Hosting UK officials 28.39 17 June Hosting prominent members of the civilian community 195.40 18 July Hosting visit by overseas dignitaries 44.94 20 July Hosting visit by overseas dignitaries 89.17 14 November Visit of Spanish Commander in Chief 98.20
All expenditure on official entertainment is subject to strict departmental rules and compliance with the principles of propriety set out in Government Accounting.
It has not been possible to break down the expenditure on alcohol by type as this information is not held.