§ Mr. Trotterasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) on average, how many Government cars are used to convey Ministers from the House to their homes from Mondays to Thursdays;
(2) on how many occasions per week Government cars are used to carry Ministers after (a) 7 p.m., (b) 10 p.m. and (c) midnight other than to their homes;
(3) on how many occasions in the current Session Government cars used to carry Ministers from the House to their homes have been required to stay at the House until after (a) 10 p.m. and (b) midnight.
§ Mr. ArmstrongThe information requested is not available as detailed records are not kept of the individual journeys made by Ministers' allocated cars within the central London area.
§ Mr. Trotterasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what would be the estimated annual saving in wages if Ministers' cars were not required to wait at the House to take them home.
§ Mr. ArmstrongIt is not possible to make any sound estimate as there are no records available of the extent to 540W which Ministers' cars so wait at the House.
§ Mr. Trotterasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what overtime rates are paid to the drivers of Ministers' cars when they are required to stay late at the House in order to convey Ministers to their homes.
§ Mr. ArmstrongOvertime on a weekday basis is paid at the time-and-a-third overtime rate for the first two hours and at the time-and-a-half rate thereafter. If a day work driver is kept at work beyond his normal finishing time and until after midnight he or she will be paid additionally for the hours between finishing work and 6 a.m. at the plain time overtime rate if sent home between midnight and 2 a.m. and at the time-and-a-half rate if sent home later.