Food and Beverage costs
Dear House of Lords,
I am writing to make a request under the Freedom of Information Act to attain information regarding the amount of money spent on food and drink in the house.
In this information I would like to know:
1. How much money has been spent on food for meetings in the past 3 years?
2. How much money has been spent on beverages for meetings in the past 3 years?
3. How many people attend these meetings on average?
4. Could you also please attatch a copy of all menus available to the Lords with pricing.
Yours faithfully,
Hazel Urquhart
Dear Hazel Urquhart,
I am writing in response to your request (copied below).
We have understood your request to relate to Members’ meetings. We do not
hold records relating to all meetings Members may attend or hold on the
Estate. For example, a Member may hold an informal meeting with a small
number of people in a cafe run by the House of Lords Catering and Retail
Service. We would not record this as a meeting and such events are
therefore not included in the figures provided below.
Please note that food and beverages are paid for by the individuals
concerned and not by the taxpayer.
The recorded information we hold is limited to the following:
Money spent by individuals on food for meetings in the past 3 years;
£13,264.58 November 2016 – April 2018
We no longer hold relevant information prior to this date.
Money spent by individuals on beverages for meetings in the past 3 years;
£50,533.93 November 2016 – April 2018
We no longer hold relevant information prior to this date.
How many people attend these meetings on average?
May 2015-April 2018 – total of 539 meetings recorded with an average of 33
people per meeting.
I am attaching copies of recent menus available to Members. We do not
retain menus going back 3 years.
You may, if dissatisfied with the treatment of your request, ask the House
of Lords to conduct an internal review. This should be addressed to
[1][email address] or to the Freedom of Information Officer, House
of Lords, London SW1A 0PW and explain clearly the nature of your complaint
in terms of compliance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
Arrangements will be made for someone who has not been involved in dealing
with your request to conduct an internal review within 20 working days.
You should note that we will not normally accept an application for
internal review if it is received more than two months after the date our
response was sent. Any such request received after this time will only be
considered in exceptional circumstances.
If, following this review, you remain dissatisfied with the House’s
treatment of your request for information you may then take your complaint
to the Information Commissioner at Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow,
Cheshire, SK9 5AF.
Yours sincerely,
Frances Grey
Information Compliance Team
House of Lords
From: Hazel Urquhart
[[2]mailto:[FOI #476853 email]]
Sent: 10 April 2018 10:00
To: HL External Communications Office <[3][email address]>
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Food and Beverage costs
Dear House of Lords,
I am writing to make a request under the Freedom of Information Act to
attain information regarding the amount of money spent on food and drink
in the house.
In this information I would like to know:
1. How much money has been spent on food for meetings in the past 3 years?
2. How much money has been spent on beverages for meetings in the past 3
years?
3. How many people attend these meetings on average?
4. Could you also please attatch a copy of all menus available to the
Lords with pricing.
Yours faithfully,
Hazel Urquhart
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