§ Mr. VazTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many(a) portable telephones, (b) pagers and electronic bleepers and (c) car telephones are currently used by his Department; what are the annual costs of operating this equipment; and to which personnel it is made available.
§ Mr. WaldegraveThere are 189 portable telephones, 195 pagers and nine car telephones currently in use in the Cabinet Office—excluding 10 Downing street—its agencies and the Central Office of Information at an annual cost of approximately £289,000. Information in respect of HMSO is not held centrally.
The equipment is made available to those personnel who need to keep in contact with the office for official purposes.