To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) staff and (b) ministerial away days have been organised by his Department in each of the last five years; and what the cost of such events was in each year. (266210)

For details of the cost of away days prior to 2007-08, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 8 October 2007, Official Report, column 220W, to the hon. Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr. Hammond).

Disaggregated information on the number of away days held by (a) staff and (b) Ministers is not held centrally and could not be provided within the disproportionate costs threshold.

The following table shows total recorded spending on away days in 2007-08, the latest year for which audited figures are available.