To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with reference to the answer of 26 November 2008, Official Report, column 1595W, how much subsidy his Department received in respect of externally contracted catering services for staff in each of the last five years. (289071)

From information held centrally, the subsidy paid in respect of externally contracted catering services for staff in the core-Department in each of the last five years is as follows:

The year on year figures are not a comparable series because over the periods identified there have been changes to the number of sites offering catering services to staff, changes to catering facilities to accommodate increased throughput and rationalisation of suppliers down to one for all current core-DEFRA sites.