To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how much his Department has spent on overnight accommodation for (a) Ministers and (b) officials while overseas in each of the last three years. (294684)

Following a machinery of government change the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills was formed in June. The following figures relate to the Departments before the merger.

The amount spent by the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform on overnight accommodation while overseas in each of the last three years was:

The amount spent by Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills on overnight accommodation while overseas since it was formed in 2007 was:

The Department does not separately record overnight accommodation undertaken by Ministers from that of officials—to provide this information would entail disproportionate costs.

The Cabinet Office publish details of overseas visits costing in excess of £500 undertaken by Ministers, details are available by clicking on the following link:

http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/propriety_and_ethics/ministers.aspx