HL Deb 03 March 1975 vol 357 cc1185-6WA
Viscount BROOKEBOROUGH

asked Her Majesty's Government:

At what rate officers and men of the Ulster Defence Regiment are paid for the use of their private vehicles in the public service; how this compares with equivalent reimbursement to members of the Civil Service; whether these computations are based upon the hypothetical cost of available public transport; and, if so, how the use of such transport is calculated at hours of alert when no public transport is available.

Lord WINTERBOTTOM

The motor mileage allowances paid to civil servants and Servicemen, including members of the UDR, are determined by the engine capacity of the vehicle and the regulations under which the journey is made.

The official duty rate applies when special permission is given for the use of a private vehicle on an official journey, when alternative official or public transport is not available or would cause serious delay or marked inconvenience. This rate is assessed on the total cost of running a vehicle and the current rates, for civil servants and Servicemen alike, are:

  • Vehicles 150cc or less 1.7p per mile.
  • Vehicles 151cc-244cc 2.2p per mile.
  • Vehicles 245cc-500cc 3.0p per mile.
  • Vehicles 501cc-l,000cc 6.2p per mile.
  • Vehicles l,001cc-l,750cc 7.4p per mile.
  • Vehicles 1,751cc and above 8.lp per mile.
  • Official passenger allowance 0.5p per mile.

The public transport rate applies when a private vehicle is used, without special permission, on an official duty journey, and particularly over routes adequately covered by public transport. The rate is assessed on the cost of all forms of public transport, and is geared to fluctuations in the Retail Price Index, Fares Item. For Servicemen, the Ministry of Defence obtains an advantageous rate on public transport, and this is reflected in their public transport rate of motor mileage allowance. The current rates are:

Servicemen

  • Vehicles 150cc or less 1.0p per mile.
  • Vehicles 151cc-500cc l.7p per mile.
  • Vehicles 501cc and above 2.8p per mile.
  • Official passenger allowance 0.5p per mile.

Civil Servants

  • Vehicles 150cc or less l.7p per mile.
  • Vehicles 151cc-244cc 2.2p per mile.
  • Vehicles 245cc and above 3.0p per mile.
  • Official passenger allowance 0.5p per mile.

Journeys to and from the normal place of duty are not duty journeys, and civil servants cannot claim motor mileage allowance for them. The Regular Army element of the UDR and the non-Regular element employed full-time on permanent staff qualify for the Serviceman's special Residence to Duty mileage allowance, which is currently l.7p per mile, less a personal contribution of 10p per day. Part-time members of the UDR are assisted by being paid their public transport fares or, where a private vehicle is used, motor mileage allowance at the public transport rate.

House adjourned at one minute before eight o'clock.