§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the current conditions on which civil servants in his Department are granted salary advances to enable the purchase of bicycles for home-to-office travel; if he will make a statement on the current conditions in each agency of his Department; what plans he has to change the conditions; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Robert JacksonOn 16 December, my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary announced that Departments and agencies had been given the freedom to determine the conditions on which advances of salary to assist civil servants in the purchase of bicycles for home-to-office travel are made. The Office of Public Service and Science and its agencies are considering how to proeed with this matter. I will write to the hon. Member in due course.