G20 hospitality bill 'was £500,000'

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The cost of a series of dinners laid on for dignitaries ahead of the summit added up to more than £66,000.

And the VIP guests quaffed 136 bottles of wine worth £6,000, according to figures obtained by The Independent under the Freedom of Information Act.

On the eve of the conference, the leaders and their partners sat down to separate meals at Nos 10 and 11 Downing Street, enjoying a menu prepared by Jamie Oliver with seasonal produce from around the UK.

The banquets began with organic salmon from Shetland, followed by slow-roasted shoulder of lamb from the Elwy Valley in North Wales and Bakewell tart and custard.

Among those invited to the No 11 dinner were Michelle Obama, athletes Dame Kelly Holmes and Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson, model Naomi Campbell and Harry Potter author JK Rowling.

The £66,000 also included hospitality for foreign and finance ministers at Lancaster House and the Tate Modern and buffets for more than 200 aides and other helpers.

But the vast majority of the bill - £435,000 - went on keeping 800 officials, 200 VIPs and staff such as security workers and interpreters at the ExCel Centre in east London on the day of the summit.

The Foreign Office can claim back part of the VAT paid out, the newspaper added.