To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much Government Hospitality spent on (a) champagne, (b) wine, (c) china, (d) cutlery and (e) venue hire in 2008-09. (300704)

In the financial year 2008-09 Government Hospitality recorded the following expenditure:

Wines and spirits: £121,939 (including £27,136 spent on Champagne)

China: £150

Cutlery: £5,896

Government Hospitality does not meet venue hire costs for functions it organises at non-Government venues.