Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to his Department’s publication of government procurement card spending over £500 in January 2022, for what purpose was (a) £4,735.70 spent at Luna Park Sydney on 18 January 2022, and (b) £699.18 paid to Captain Cook Cruises on 19 January 2022.

The payment to Luna Park was for a reception hosted by the Foreign Secretary and seventy guests, including the Australian Foreign Minister and the Premier of New South Wales. It was not used for admittance into the fairground or to go on any attractions.

The payment to Captain Cook Cruise was for ferry transportation to the event at Luna Park for the Foreign Secretary and several New South Wales senior political and business stakeholders to enable them to hold a short bilateral meeting between substantive engagements.