Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to her Department’s publication of spending over £500 with an electronic purchasing card, for the accommodation of which individuals was (a) £1,688.99 paid to Meruorah Komodo on 8 July 2022, and (b) £3,426.84 paid to TheMulia.Com on 24-25 August 2022; and what was the purpose of each of those visits.

The Department represents the UK in delivering its international digital and technology objectives within a number of multilateral forums.

As part of the Indonesian G20 Presidency, Department officials attended the third and fourth Digital Economy Working Group in July and August 2022. G20 venues were designated by the Indonesian G20 Presidency for all Digital Economy Working Group meetings and the Ministerial Meeting - with the expectation that all delegations stayed in the same hotel where the G20 meetings took place. The purpose of this spend was therefore to pay for the accommodation of officials negotiating on behalf of the UK during the third G20 Digital Economy Working Group meetings in July 2022 and the fourth G20 Digital Economy Working Group meeting in August 2022, leading into the G20 Digital Ministerial.

In accordance with the Data Protection Act, the Department will not disclose the names of the individual officials.