§ Mr. Tony Banksasked the Prime Minister on how many occasions since 1979 Ministry of Defence aircraft have been used for Prime Ministerial foreign travel; on how many occasions civil aircraft were used: and what was the cost in each case.
§ The Prime Minister[pursuant to her reply, 5 December 1985, c. 325I have not used civil aircraft for foreign travel on official business. The costs to the Prime Minister's Office of the use of Ministry of Defence aircraft for foreign travel since 1979 have been:576W
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Year Destination Cost £ 1979 June France 1,050 June France 720 June/July Japan/Australia 43,600 August Zambia 49,290 October Germany 400 October Luxembourg 690 October Italy 680 November Republic of Ireland 920 December United States of America 1,685 1980 April Luxembourg 800 May Yugoslavia No charge June Italy (two visits) 12,140 September France 2,730 September Yugoslavia/Greece 16,330 November Germany 1,130 November Italy 2,080 December Republic of Ireland 620 December Luxembourg 1,030 1981 February United States of America 19,750 February Netherlands 820 March Netherlands 2,110 April India and Middle East 147,430 June Luxembourg 2,960 July Canada 43,030 Sept/Oct Middle East/Australia/Pakistan 176,340 October Mexico 33,500 November Germany 1,730 December France 3,320 1982 March Belgium 1,810 June France 2,200 June Germany 2,260 June Belgium 2,870 June United States of America 30,500 July Italy 12,460 September Far East 108,380 October Germany 6,860 November France 1,620 December Denmark 6,050 1983 January Falklands 150,000 March Belgium 1,800 May United States of America 1,897 June Germany 6,190 July Switzerland 2,980 July Canada/United States of America 4,906 September Netherlands/Germany 26,200 November India 57,990 November Germany 24,140 December Greece 13,130 1984 January Italy 2,150 January France 1,090 February Hungary 8,530 February USSR 28,331 March Belgium 1,700 April Portugal 29,401 May France 1,412 June France 2,160 July Switzerland/Austria 6,760 November India 80,727 Nov/Dec France 8,000 Hong Kong/China/United States of December America 61,770 December Republic of Ireland 4,610 1985 January Germany 3,916 February United States of America 35,000
Year Destination Cost £ March Belgium 3,502 March USSR 27,073 April South East Asia 99,300 May Germany 5,000 June Italy 16,000 July United States of America 40,000 August Austria 5,300 September Egypt/Jordon 26,600 October Bahamas/United States of America 70,000 November Germany 4,500 November Belgium 3,000 December Luxembourg Not yet available 1. When on security advice I travel by RAF aircraft other than on official business, arrangements are made for a payment to public funds of the equivalent of first class airfare, or where there is no such commercial airfare, the equivalent of the tourist class airfare. These arrangements are similar to those which have applied under previous governments.
578W
Proposal Comment Additional annual cost to public expenditure £ million 1. Pension of half and one-third gross average earnings for couple and single person respectively. Cost also includes other linked long-term benefits. The national insurance implications alone (£12,500 million) would increase the Class I national insurance contribution by £16.00 a week for male employees on male average earnings of £200 a week. 16,000 2. Six monthly uprating on a permanent basis. Each 1 per cent. increase in pension and other long-term national insurance benefits brought forward by 6 months would cost £110 million (1985–86). 110 3. Adequate heating allowance covering all fuel. Examples: (a) The cost of extending the basic rate heating addition to all pensioners on housing benefit would be about 300 (b) The cost of extending it to all pensioners who are householders would be in the order of or 500 4. Index-linked Christmas bonus of £20. Each additional £ 1 on the bonus costs over £ 11 million. 110 5. Reducing pension age to 60 and Estimate based on 1983–84 benefit rates. Costs arising longer term. Net costs to central Government funds at least— *2,600 abolition of the earnings rule. Net cost to central Government for abolition of the earnings rule on present pension age around £85 million* 190 6. Adequate death grant. Estimate for restoring death grant to original value in respect of all deaths—£230. 135 7. Free health. Unquantifiable. — 8. Availability of community and personal social services. Unquantifiable. — 9. Appropriate accommodation including choice. Unquantifiable. — 10. National scheme of free off peak travel on local buses. Concessions for people of pensionable age. Estimate is the minimum. 400 11. Access to education and leisure facilities. Unquantifiable. — £20,000 * Net cost to central Government funds. † Rounded and absolute minimum. 2. For the period up to 31 March 1981 Ministry of Defence aircraft were provided on an allied service basis. The costs shown are therefore notional.
3. On a number of occasions other Ministers have accompanied me on the journeys shown. The cost of their travel is borne by their Departments. The costs of flights undertaken during 1985 are estimates pending decisions on recoveries from other Government Departments.