To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 14 November 2007, Official Report, column 897W, on departmental official hospitality, what records were kept of entertainment or hospitality received by past or present members of (a) the Defence Council, (b) the Defence Management Board, (c) Defence Equipment and Support, (d) Defence Estates, (e) Science, Innovation and Technology TLB, (f) Central TLB and (g) Defence Export Services Organisation in each of the last three (i) financial and (ii) calendar years. (175596)

[holding answer 7 January 2008]: Ministers, members of the senior civil service and commanding officers are required to keep Hospitality Books in which are recorded details of all hospitality offered to themselves or members of their staffer unit and whether an offer of hospitality has been accepted or declined.

Detailed departmental rules governing the way in which Crown servants are to react to offers of gifts, reward, or hospitality from outside organisations are set out in a statement of civilian and service personnel policy. Hospitality Books are audited by senior officials and military officers.