§ David DavisTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs (1) if he will list the travel costs incurred by(a) the Department and its predecessors and (b) each Minister within his Department, for each of the last 10 years; [175655]
(2) how much the Department and its predecessor spent on ministerial travel by (a) car, (b) train, (c) aeroplane and (d) helicopter, in each of the last 10 years;. [175666]
(3) how many journeys were made by helicopter by each Minister in his Department and its predecessors in each of the last 10 years; and what the journey length was in each case. [175735]
1023W
§ Mr. LammyThe information is as follows:
(1) (a) Total travel costs for my Department, which covers costs for the Court Service, the Public Guardianship Office and DCA Headquarters was as per the table as follows:
Period Amount (£) 2004–05 (To 31 May) 726,579 2003–04 5,913,187 2002–03 5,035,694 2001–02 4,522,177 2000–01 4,169,902 1999–2000 4,237,897 1998–99 3,506,760 (1) (b) it is not possible to list the travel costs of each Minister within my Department without incurring disproportionate cost. However, aggregate travel and subsistency costs for the Private Offices, which covers costs for Ministers and Officials was as per the table:
Period Amount (£) 2004–05 (To 31 May) 11,280 2003–04 64,891 2002–03 83,051 2001–02 60,220 2000–01 98,592 1999–2000 59,823 1998–99 40,192 Information on previous years is not readily available.
(2) (a) My hon. Friend the Minister of the Cabinet office has asked Nick Matheson, Chief Executive of the Government Car and Despatch Agency to write to the hon. Member with details of the cost of ministerial vehicles provided to this Department.
(2) (b) (c) and (d) it is not possible for my Department to provide the full detailed information requested without incurring disproportionate cost.
(3) My Department's records cannot provide a definite, exact answer, without incurring disproportionate cost.
1024WIn respect of overseas travel by Ministers, since 1999 the Government have published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing £500 or more during each financial year. The Government have also published on an annual basis the cost of all Ministers' visits overseas. Copies of the lists are available in the Libraries of the House. These report information reaching back to 1995–06. Information for earlier years could be obtained only at disproportionate cost and in some cases will no longer be held. Information for 2003–04 will be published in due course.
My Department has published rules for official travel in its staff handbook and Ministerial travel is governed by the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers, copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House.