To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much his Department spent on hotel accommodation for (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) officials of his Department in each of the last five years. (305663)

A centralised booking service contract was introduced in the core department in late 2006-07, from which the information stated has been taken and therefore only covers the period January to March 2007 of the 2006-07 year. Information prior to this date and hotel accommodation used but not reserved through the central booking service contract could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Information on the split of hotel expenditure between Ministers, special advisers and civil servants could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Travel by Ministers and special advisers, and civil servants is undertaken in accordance with the Ministerial Code and the Civil Service Management Code respectively. The Cabinet Office produces annual lists of overseas trips undertaken by Ministers costing over £500.

These can be accessed at:

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

The list for 2008-09 was published on 16 July 2009. This and earlier lists are available in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many hotel room nights were booked by officials in (a) his Department and (b) its agencies in each year since 2007; 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. (309061)

A centralised booking service contract was introduced in late 2006-07, from which the information stated has been taken and therefore only covers the period January to March 2007 of 2006-07.

The number of hotel room nights booked over this period by officials in the core-Department, and the agencies for which such information is held, are in the table.

The significant number of nights in 2007-08 for Animal Health relates to the Foot and Mouth Disease outbreaks.

Bookings made by officials outside the centralised booking service could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Fees were not paid to third party agents for the bookings.