HC Deb 28 March 1985 vol 76 cc327-30W
Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many visits abroad have been made by Ministers in his Department in the years 1983–84 and 1984–85 to date.

Sir George Young

DOE Ministers carried out 13 official engagements overseas during 1983–84 and 17 during 1984–85.

Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the total cost of ministerial hospitality in his Department in the years 1983–84 and 1984–85 to date.

Sir George Young

I shall answer this question shortly.

Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the total cost of furnishing Ministers' offices in his Department in each year since 1979–80.

Mr. Waldegrave

The information is as follows:

Year Cost (excluding VAT) £
1979–80 2,576
1980–81 518
1981–82 2,022
1982–83 5,794
1983–84 14,044
1984–85 8,975

Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the total cost of providing Ministers' cars in his Department in each year since 1979–80; how many cars are provided; and how many trips have been made outside London.

Sir George Young

The numbers and costs of the cars in the years concerned are as follows:

Number £
1979–80 6 92,040
1980–81 7 131,040
1981–82 7 138,580
1982–83 6 143,520
1983–84 6 164,450
1984–85 6 155,150

Separate records of the trips made outside London are not maintained.

Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment which grades of civil servants in his Department are allowed to have official supplies of alcohol in their offices; how much has been spent by his Department in each year since 1979–80 on such items.

Mr. Macfarlane

The permanent Secretaries of the Department each have authorised drinks cabinets. They may authorise such expenditure on the part of other senior officers: one such authorisation has currently been given.

Records of expenditure of this kind prior to 1982–83 are incomplete; expenditure from 1982–83 has been as follows:

£
1982–83 110
1983–84 235
1984–85 435

Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how much has been spent on official supplies of alcohol to Ministers' offices in this Department in each year since 1979–80.

Sir George Young

Expenditure on Departmental Ministers' drinks cabinets, which include non-alcoholic drinks, has been as follows:

£
1979–80 1,511
1980–81 1,728
1981–82 2,184
1982–83 2,188
1983–84 1,905
1984–85 2,003

Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the total cost of staffing and maintenance of Ministers' offices in his Department for each year since 1979–80.

Sir George Young

I shall answer this question shortly.

Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment which Civil Service grades in his Department are allowed to make charges for official hospitality; and how much was spent on official hospitality by civil servants in each year since 1979–80.

Mr. Macfarlane

Expenditure on official hospitality other than tea and coffee at official meetings is subject to the approval of at least an assistant secretary and normally a higher grade. The total spent on official hospitality by the Department (including the PSA and costs incurred by Ministers) since 1979–80 has been:

£ thousands
1979–80 83
1980–81 88
1981–82 94.4
1982–83 108.8
1983–84 98.5
1984–85 *108.6
* Estimated outturn.

These figures are in cash terms.

Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many official cars are maintained by his Department; what is the total annual cost; and who uses them.

Sir George Young

Six ministerial cars and one permanent secretary car costing £175,430 per annum. In addition the Building Research Establishment operates four official cars but the costs are not separately identified in its budget. The cars are used by:

  • The Secretary of State
  • Ministers of State (3)
  • Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State (2)
  • Permanent Secretary (1)
  • Authorised staff of the Building Research Establishment (4)

This is exclusive of the 1,450 cars operated by The Crown Suppliers for the use of other Government Departments and other public sector bodies.

Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the total cost to his Department in each year since 1979–80 of toilet rolls, disposable cups, stationery, teabags, office furniture, newspapers and periodicals.

Sir George Young

The information for DOE Central is as follows:

Stationery * Office Furniture Newspapers and Periodicals
£ £ £
1979–80 99,700
1980–81 607,284 110,400
1981–82 461,471 91,500
1982–83 503,796 105,600
1983–84 507,163 736,526 91,200
1984–85 273,565 ≑ •824,400 105,600
Notes:
* Includes the cost of toilet rolls for which no separate figures are available.
† stationery was provided by HMSO on Allied Service terms under which costs were not passed onto Departments.
‡ cannot be obtained without disproportionate cost.
≑ a contributory factor to the reduction this year is the establishment of the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission.
¶ separate information for the cost of disposable cups and tea bags in not available.
• Estimated.

Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how much has been spent by his Department on telephone calls in each year since 1979–80.

Mr. Waldegrave

The cost of British Telecom calls in the Department (including the PSA) since 1979–80 has been:

Year £ thousands
1979–80 2,759
1980–81 3,784

Year £ thousands
1981–82 3,813
1982–83 3,787
1983–84 3,626
* 1984–85 3,474
* estimated outturn

These figures are in cash terms.

Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how much has been spent on postage by his Department in each year since 1979–80.

Mr. Waldegrave

The cost of postage in the Department (including the PSA) since 1979–80 has been:

Year £ thousands
1979–80 1,316
1980–81 2,265
1981–82 2,168
1982–83 1,739
1983–84 1,314
*1984–85 1,335
* estimated outturn

These figures are in cash terms.

Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the total cost to his Department of official travel in each year since 1979–80.

Mr. Waldegrave

The cost of official travel and subsistence in the Department (including PSA) since 1979–80 has been:

£ thousands
1979–80 9,698
1980–81 10,535
1981–82 10,087
1982–83 11,064
1983–84 11,088
1984–85* 9,461
* Estimated outturn.

These figures are in cash terms.