To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the answer of 4 March 2008, Official Report, column 2479W, on the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre: Government Departments, how much it cost her Department to hire the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre for its leadership away day; and for what reasons the event was not held in departmental buildings. (249149)

The Government's London estate has limited conference facilities and so from time to time the Home Office and other Departments are required to hire external venues for events.

We are not able to reveal the cost of the booking as this is a commercially sensitive issue between the Home Office and the QEII Centre.

The QEII Centre is owned by the Crown (Department for Communities and Local Government).