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The Speaker of the House of Lords lavished £4,000 on flowers for her office, it has been revealed.

And she has blown £30,000 of taxpayers' cash wining and dining diplomats and dignitaries over the last five years.

Baroness D'Souza spent £6,000 putting up a Russian delegation in a five-star hotel and another £890 on a trip to the ballet for the Russian diplomats.

The crossbench peer , who earns £138,000 a year, took the VIPs to watch Benjamin Britten’s Gloriana at the Royal Opera House – a mile away from Parliament – in June 2013.

And she billed taxpayers £230 for the eye-watering limousine trip from Westminster to the theatre- a 20-minute walk, because the car was kept waiting for four hours.

Read more:Lords speaker keeps £230 Mercedes waiting for FOUR HOURS as she watches opera a mile from Parliament

Luxury florists Nora Wooll and Windowflowers were paid up to £168 a month to provide fresh blooms for the Baroness' office.

It comes just months after Commons Speaker John Bercow was slammed for splashing tens of thousands of pounds worth of public money on lavish dinners, booze and luxury candles for his official residence.

(Image: PA)

He also spent hundreds having the grand piano in Speaker's House tuned.

Figures obtained by MailOnline revealed Lady D'Souza snubbed the subsidised gourmet catering available in-house at Parliament, in favour of lavish menus from outside firms.

She laid out thousands to draft in exclusive firms including David Christopher and Get Stuffed catering during the last parliament.

A Lords spokesman said: ‘The payments to the Royal Opera House and Royal Garden Hotel relate to the visit of Valentina Matvienko, Chairperson of the Council Federation of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation.

‘The Lord Speaker hosted the delegation as she had prioritised improving the relationship between UK and the Russian Parliament in the context of the general UK effort to improve UK/ Russia relations.’

Read more:Millionaire Lord Bhatia faces suspension for a SECOND time and ordered to repay expenses

The spokesman added: ‘Since this visit the House of Lords has changed its policy and no longer pays to host visiting speakers or accepts offers by hosts of overseas visits to meet accommodation costs.’

The figures also include £4,030 on 'chamber and ceremonial uniforms' for Lady D'Souza, and another £2,092 on 'extra court coats and lace insert cuffs.'

(Image: PA/EMPICS)

The Lords spokesperson added: ‘The Lord Speaker’s Office costs are 7 per cent less in real terms than in 2011/12.

'From 2010/11 to 2014/15, spending on official entertainment has been halved.

'This reflects a focus by the Lord Speaker’s office to reduce spending where possible, including through seeking more cost effective providers.

‘The Lord Speaker’s Office budget covers all aspects of support required for the Lord Speaker to carry out her role including staff and associated costs which make up the majority of the overall budget.

'These figures also cover the Lord Speaker’s uniform – a requirement of her role – and hosting various functions including with foreign representatives, Members of the House and other senior dignitaries.’