Rob Shorrock
12 November 2008
By Email: request-3698-
[email address]
Your Ref: 21 October 2008
Our Ref: 37-254739744
Dear Mr Shorrock
Re: Request for a breakdown of expenditure incurred in providing corporate
hospitality
I am writing in response to your email request of 21 October 2008 for information about
corporate hospitality costs. Your request is reproduced below:
“Could you please provide me with a breakdown of expenditure incurred in
providing corporate hospitality to members of the agency, partners, investors and
clients during 2007\2008”.
Our definition of corporate hospitality is where the South West Regional Development
Agency pays for tickets or events in order to take partners, or where we purchase
additional tables for partners at an event the Agency is sponsoring. The Agency does not
provide corporate hospitality in the usual sense of paying for clients or partners to attend
sporting or entertainment events.
As part of our work to lead the development of a sustainable economy in the South West,
the Agency has over a thousand projects in the region. Many of these projects will have
events and meetings where attendees would have lunch provided, for example. These
meetings and events are part of our day-to-day business and are not considered to be
“corporate hospitality”. It would not be possible to locate, collate and extract this kind of
information within the statutory time limit of 2.5 days.
However, I can confirm that we hold relevant information about corporate hospitality, as
defined above, that the Agency has provided to partners and investors. Please find below
details of corporate hospitality provided during the financial year 1 April 2007 – 31 March
2008.
SportAccord Conference 22 – 29 April 2007, Beijing
Three members of staff and one partner organisation (Sport England) attended this
conference. The South West Regional Development Agency purchased a stand at this
event and four delegate places were included. The Agency contributed ÂŁ5556 for a
representative from Sport England to attend this event.
South West England's excellent potential to host world-class events and pre-2012 Games
training camps was launched to a global audience during this visit to Beijing and
attendance at the SportAccord conference. More information about the April 2007 visit to
Beijing is available on our website under the heading “Region’s sporting assets promoted
to world audience”.
http://www.southwestrda.org.uk/news/release.asp?releaseid=1959
West of England Aerospace Forum - Gala Dinner, 28 November 2007. Bristol
Marriott Hotel
The Agency paid for a table for 10 at ÂŁ125 per head, plus VAT. This event was organised
by the Forum to celebrate the success of the aerospace and defence industry in the
South West. Three RDA employees attended along with representatives from the
region’s prime aerospace companies.
Sport England Regional Conference 27 – 28 February 2008. Centre Parcs, Longleat
The Agency had four delegate places at this conference. Two of these places were
offered to partners and were taken up by Surf Life Saving Association of GB and the
Learning & Skills Council. These delegate places cost ÂŁ282 each, and were funded by
the Agency.
Chinese New Year Dinner 27 February 2008 – arranged by Neil Blakeman
Associates and Amtrak
The Agency paid ÂŁ300 in total for ten delegates to attend this dinner. Three employees of
the South West RDA attended the dinner, plus seven additional delegates.
Delegates who received our corporate hospitality were from the following companies and
organisations: UK China Alliance Trading Association, Jingu Electric Appliance UK Ltd,
Graphic plc, GKN Aerospace Services Ltd, Garrad Hassan & Partners, Swindon Borough
Council and BAE Systems Advanced Technology Centre.
I hope this information is helpful.
If you are not satisfied with the way we have handled your request, or if you are unhappy
with our response, you can appeal via our Freedom of Information Complaints Procedure,
a copy of which is available on request or on our website at
www.southwestrda.org.uk/complaints. If you are still dissatisfied after following our
complaints procedure, then under Section 50 of the Freedom of Information Act you are
entitled to appeal to the Information Commissioner (Information Commissioner's Office,
Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF, telephone 01625 545700, fax:
01625 524510).
Yours sincerely
Information & FOI Officer
South West Regional Development Agency
