Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Department's publication MOD's ministerial hospitality, April to June 2017, whether (a) representatives or employees of the firm which offered that hospitality and (b) lobbyists or contractors of those firms were present at events for which that hospitality was offered.

For the period in question, the following hospitality was recorded:

The Rt Hon Sir Michael Fallon MP, attended the Army v Navy rugby match on 29 April 2017 at the invitation of Babcock; he met the CEO of Babcock, Archie Bethel, and John Spencer, the President of the RFU.

The Rt Hon Earl Howe, had lunch with the UK Defence Attache and dinner with the UK Ambassador during his visit to Vietnam on 19 April 2017; dinner with the UK Ambassador to Japan on 21 April 2017 and dinner with the UK Defence Attache and UK Ambassador to the Republic of Korea on 23rd and 24 April respectively; these engagements were all with Government officials.

The Rt Hon Mike Penning MP, attended the Army v Navy rugby match on 29 April 2017 at the invitation of Babcock; it is known that the CEO of Babcock, Archie Bethel, was present.

Harriett Baldwin MP, had dinner with science and engineering employees of BAE Systems on 5 April 2017 and lunch at the invitation of Thales at the Paris Air Show on 19 June 2017. Employees of both firms were present on both occasions.