§ Mr. HayesTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make a statement about the arrangements for making advances of salary available to civil servants for travel.
§ Mrs. Gillian ShephardCivil servants may receive an advance of salary to purchase a season ticket for public transport. It is proposed to extend this scheme in two ways. Departments will be able to offer junior civil servants advances of salary to purchase season tickets for car parking and advances of salary of up to £100 to assist civil servants in the purchase of a bicycle for home to office travel.
§ Mr. Andrew MitchellTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make a statement about the arrangements for making advances of salary available to civil servants, both for house purchase and for travel to the office.
§ Mrs. Gillian ShephardWhen civil servants move in the public interest, they may be eligible for an advance of salary to assist with the purchase of a property at the new station. The current maximum advance payable is six months' pay, repayable over 12 years.
The arrangements have recently been reviewed for civil servants whose bridging loans exceed the selling price of 360W their property as a result of changes in the housing market. In these exceptional cases, it is proposed that the maximum advance should be 12 months' pay, repayable over a maximum of 15 years.
On the question of travel, I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave today to my hon. Friend the Member for Harlow (Mr. Hayes).