Departmental Official Hospitality

Bob Spink
To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how much his Department has spent on (a) conference services and (b) banqueting services in each year since its creation.

Mr. Simon
All expenditure has to be incurred in accordance with the principles of Managing Public Money and the Treasury handbook on Regularity and Propriety.

To provide the information requested would incur disproportionate cost. This is because the information is not held in the format requested. It is not possible to disaggregate costs for general training, conferences organised internally and for conferences arranged by outside bodies. Costs for the provision of food at events by a banqueting service cannot be disaggregated between all marketing, conferences and training expenditure.