Government Wine Cellar

Tobias Ellwood Excerpts

Thursday 16th July 2015 Written Statements

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr Tobias Ellwood)]

I have today placed a copy of the annual statement on the Government wine cellar for the financial Year 2014-15 in the Libraries of both Houses.

Following the outcome of the review of the Government Hospitality wine cellar in 2011, this fourth annual statement continues our commitment to annual statements to Parliament on the use of the wine cellar, covering consumption, stock purchases, costs, and value for money. The wine cellar has been self-funding since 2011-12, through the sale of some high-value stock and payments made by other Government Departments for events organised by Government Hospitality.

The report notes that:

Sales of stock amounted to £71,050 (cf. £56,000 in FY 2013-14);

Further funds from other Government Departments added £21,514 to the overall receipts (cf. £16,762 in 13/14);

Purchases amounted to £70,432 (cf. £50,054 in 2013-14);

The highest consumption level by volume was of English and Welsh wine, at 44% of the total (cf. 48% in 2013-14);

Consumption rose in 2014-15 by around 15% due to the significant number of major international conferences and meetings (eg NATO summit, Ending Sexual Violence in Conflict summit).

[HCWS142]