To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) staff and (b) ministerial away days were organised by his Department in each of the last five years; and what the total cost was in each year. (265110)

The Department for Work and Pensions does not have a separate or identifiable account code in departmental finance records to distinguish expenditure on either staff or ministerial away days. To try and identify any such expenditure would incur a disproportionate amount of time and cost.

Spending on staff away days is made in accordance with published departmental guidance on financial procedures and propriety, which is based on the principles set out in Managing Public Money and the Treasury handbook on Regularity and Propriety. All spending on ministerial away days is made in accordance with the principles set out within Ministerial Guidance.