Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, with reference to her Department’s publication of electronic purchasing card spending over £500, what the location was of hotel accommodation on which (a) £2,058.10 was spent on 7 June 2021 and (b) £1,724.20 on 10 July 2021; for which individuals that accommodation was purchased; and what the purpose was of the stay at those hotels.

£2,058.10: The location for this hotel is Busan, South Korea. This transaction relates to four nights hotel accommodation costs incurred for three UK Defence and Security Exports staff who attended the Maritime Defence Industry International Exhibition (Madex 2021).

£1,724.20: The location for this hotel is Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The accommodation covered four nights and was for the former Minister of State for Investment, my noble Friend Lord Grimstone of Boscobel, and one official. The travel was to attend events with investors onboard HMS Defender as part of the Carrier Strike Group’s visit to Saudi Arabia.