To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many hotel room nights were booked by officials in (a) his Department and (b) its agencies in each year since its inception; and how much (i) his Department and (ii) its agencies spent on the fees of third party agents in booking hotel accommodation in each of those years. (309053)

Since its inception on 3 October 2008 and from information held centrally, the number of hotel room nights booked by officials in my Department by November 2009 totalled 1,006. Additionally some officials booked accommodation using their Government procurement cards (GPCs) and to provide details of each transaction would entail disproportionate cost.

Hotel accommodation is provided through a cross-Government hotel booking agent contract awarded by Buying Solutions. Records of fees paid are not centrally recorded and to provide this information would entail disproportionate cost.