To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much the Environment Agency spent on its internal communications conference in 2007; how much of that total was accounted for by (a) payment of speakers, (b) travel costs, (c) food and (d) accommodation; and how many staff are due to attend the 2008 conference. (205609)

The Environment Agency is increasingly professionalising its communications teams in order to draw on new tools and best practice technicians to change the behaviours of business, farmers, people at risk of flooding and other key audiences. The Communication Conference is a professional development event that supports this and helps to build strong integrated communications teams and programmes. The Environment Agency again expects 250 people to attend the 2008 conference.

The costs of the 2007 conference are as follows.

Travel costs include bus hire and estimated individual delegate travel to and from the venue at Nottingham university. This is based on an estimate of £30 expenditure per head and takes into account off-peak travel and maximised car-sharing.