Blair makes a fortune on lecture tours... and you pay for his stay: Outcry as former PM stays on taxpayer-fueled residences Foreign Office says it offers Blair 'use of residences' when 'appropriate' Blair stayed for free on a trip in which he made more than £200,000 He has property portfolio worth millions and a lucrative consultancy firm With millions in the bank, you would think Tony Blair could comfortably pay his hotel bills. But it has emerged the taxpayer has effectively been subsidising at least some of the former prime minister's profit-making lecture tours since he left office. Mr Blair is taking advantage of free accommodation in luxury taxpayer-funded residences on his frequent trips overseas. Freebies: Tony Blair posing in Manila, Philippines in 2009 where he and his entourage were put up free of charge at the UK ambassador¿s official residence On a visit to the Philippines, where he was reportedly paid £200,000 a time for two half-hour lectures, he and his entourage were put up free of charge at the UK ambassador's official residence. They were able to enjoy a swimming pool, garden and tennis court at the residence, a Freedom of Information request revealed. Similarly secure accommodation in a private hotel would have personally cost thousands of pounds. Asked about such largesse being offered on a money-making trip, the Foreign Office last night suggested such freebies were routinely available to him. On the road: Globetrotting Tony Blair was in the US this week for the opening of the George W. Bush Presidential Center as one of his many foreign visits Canny operator: Tony Blair has amassed a property portfolio worth millions, runs a lucrative consultancy business and charges thousands for public appearances A spokesman claimed to have no list of all the accommodation provided free for Mr Blair, but said: "We offer Tony Blair the use of FCO residences when it is possible and appropriate. This is a courtesy which has been offered to other former prime ministers. Details of the trip to Manila in 2009 emerged in email correspondence. Mr Blair, who has amassed a property portfolio worth millions and runs a consultancy, spoke at a company function and at a hotel. He stayed at the residence of ambassador Peter Beckingham, who was appointed in 2005 when Mr Blair was prime minister. In an email Mr Blair's aide asked: "Would it be possible for TB and some/all of the party to reside at the Residence? ... (and as you know we always like to visit with the Embassies who have given so much help and support over the years)." Another email revealed that shortly before the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Mr Blair and wife Cherie holidayed in Malaysia for three weeks, where "Their host is the Sultan of Perak, Azlan Shah." A spokesman for Mr Blair said: "We usually stay in hotels when working abroad and meet these costs privately. If other accommodation arrangements are made it is on the recommendation of the security team.