§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the currrent conditions on which civil servants in his Department are granted salary advances to enable the purchase of bicycles for home-to-office travel; if he will make a statement on the current conditions in each agency of his Department; what plans he has to change the conditions; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. GoodladThe Treasury have given Departments discretion to offer up to £100 advance of salary for the purchase of bicycles for home-to-office travel. This discretion has not been taken up by the FCO diplomatic wing, which has no plans to do so. The Overseas Development Administration, which administers itself separately, has given its staff an entitlement to a salary advance of up to £100 for this purpose. Its has no plans to change this.