Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what was the cost to the public purse of her Department's summer reception held on 1 July 2026; and how much of the total cost was spent on (a) alcohol and (b) catering.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's summer reception is one of the key moments of the year for engagement with overseas diplomats based in the UK, and has been supported by successive governments for several decades. We are grateful to the many UK food and drink companies who offered to showcase their products at this year's reception, helping to reduce the costs of the event for the FCDO.