Written question asked by Mark Hoban (Conservative) on Thursday, 17 July 2008, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 21 July 2008. It was answered by David Lammy (Labour) on Wednesday, 10 September 2008 on behalf of the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills.

Departmental Property

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills which organisations have received (a) free and (b) discounted room hire from (i) his Department and (ii) its agencies in each of the last five years; and what the commercial value of the discount was in each case.

Answer: The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills was established under machinery of government changes in June 2007. Neither DIUS or its agency hires rooms to other organisations. Rooms are not generally made available free to other organisations, but we do not keep a central record of whether this has ever occurred. It may sometimes be appropriate for events or meetings convened by DIUS-sponsored bodies to be hosted in DIUS rooms.

Secondary information