Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to his Department’s publication of government procurement card spending over £500 for November 2021, for how many (a) nights and (b) individuals was £9,237.56 spent on accommodation at the Tianjin Binhai Yihao Jiudian hotel in Tianjin, China, on 8 November 2021; and for what purpose was it required.

The COP President Designate and his delegation of 10 officials spent two nights in the Tianjin Binhai Yihao Jiudian hotel in Tianjin, China from 5-6th September 2021 as part of talks with the Chinese Government.

The delegation was required in Chinese Government approved hotel accommodation, and was subject to rigorous COVID protocols at a time when travel to China was severely restricted.

The trip was a key event in the COP26 President Designate’s negotiations with the Chinese government, and was an important part of the UK’s successful leadership of COP26 in Glasgow.

Costs for the trip were also declared in the Cabinet Office Ministerial Transparency return for the second quarter of 2021. This information is available in the public domain on GOV.UK.