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In a statement issued yesterday DA MP, Tim Harris falsely accused Minister Davies of having ‘refused to answer parliamentary questions on his hotel stays, citing security concerns’.

This is both incorrect and malicious. A comprehensive answer to a question submitted by the DA was provided in August 2011. A copy of this response is attached. This statement, we believe provides adequate information for oversight by parliament.

Notwithstanding this, the dti received a generic application from the DA asking for details including names of hotels and copies of receipts for all accommodation expenses while undertaking official duties. It is this request we have declined to accede to.

The basis of this includes the following:

1. Seldom is the selection of accommodation abroad a matter of individual choice. For example, sometimes during state visits, accommodation is arranged for all members of the delegation. Sometimes, accommodation is arranged by embassies on the basis of specific arrangements they have negotiated with service providers. On other occasions the choice of accommodation is that of the hosts of particular events or meetings.

2. Some of these arrangements would apply to future as well as past visits and to visits by members of the executive other than Minister Davies. Providing the detailed information requested by the DA would amount to making public future accommodation arrangements not just of Minister Davies but other members of the executive. This is the security consideration.

3. Providing the detail requested would also amount to revealing in some cases details of special arrangements negotiated by embassies with service providers which could compromise commercial confidentiality.

The DA is quite at liberty to appeal our decision in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act and we will respond at the appropriate moment. But Mr Harris is out of order when he contends that the basis of our decision is that "the Minister is trying to hide something and may also have an eye on the Public Protector's ongoing investigations into ... extravagant hotel bills...” This we reject with contempt as an assertion that goes beyond the parameters of expected robust political debate.

Incidentally, MP Harris himself accepted accommodation at the same hotel as Minster Davies when he attended the World Trade Organisation's 8th Ministerial Conference as a member of the official South African delegation.