Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to his Department’s publication of spending over £500 with an electronic purchasing card, (a) for the accommodation of which individuals was (i) £1,989 paid to B.O.G. Hotel in Colombia on 13 and 23 March 2022, (ii) £661.38 paid to Antigua Yacht Club Marina on 13 May 2022, and (iii) £931.24 paid to Renaissance Hotel in Chicago on 25 May 2022, and (b) in each case, what was the purpose of their visit.

The majority of BEIS hotels are booked through the Department’s corporate travel provider. In each of these cases, the bookings were organised by the hosting organisation with hotels chosen based on security, location, and available preferential rates. (i) Government officials travelled to Colombia to take part in international discussions on climate change; (ii) Government officials travelled to Antigua to attend a UN-led Green Climate Fund meeting; (iii) one Government official attended the Ernst and Young Innovation Realised event.