Labour, when in Government, were bigger spenders on hospitality at the Ministry of Justice than the current Coalition, according to The Times newspaper.
During Labour’s last full year in power, the newspaper claims the department HQ spent more than £95k on “refreshments for interdepartmental meetings”.
Last year, by comparison, saw the Tories clamp down on spending by the MoJ and its agencies on hospitality by 93 per cent, with the hospitality tab coming in at just £15,600.
A source at the MoJ, The Times claims, alleged a high proportion of the hospitality budget had been spent under Labour on alcohol using Government Procurement Cards (GPC).
A Ministry spokesman confirmed that the department had now put a block on GPCs being used in bars and restaurants and for ordering alcohol for in-house meetings.
An MoJ spokesman has said that travel and subsistence spending had been cut by more than half since the last general election.
The Government, meanwhile, has invited agencies to pitch for £40m of event planning and delivery work for its own departments and public sector bodies. The tender from the Cabinet Office, via the Government Procurement Service, gives agencies until 10 January 2014 to apply.
Advice on events planning, delivery and related services is now live on the GPS eSourcing site:
The GPS envisages a roster of around 25 suppliers on a four-year contract.
A diverse range of agency opportunities are mentioned in the tender document, from event planning through to supply of services such as AV equipment.
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