To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much was spent by (a) his Department and (b) its agencies on (i) official hospitality and (ii) staff entertainment in each year since 1997. (185182)

DEFRA came into being in June 2001. The information requested for each of the last 10 years could be provided only at disproportionate cost. From information held centrally the amounts spent on hospitality by the core-Department are:

Direct year-on-year comparisons cannot be made because of Machinery of Government changes that have occurred.

The core-Department does not hold information centrally on hospitality expenditure by its executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies. The information could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The core-Department holds no information centrally on the expenditure category of staff entertainment.