§ Mr. VazTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many(a) portable telephones, (b) pagers and electronic bleepers and (c) car telephones are currently used by his Department; what are the annual costs of operating this equipment; and to which personnel it is made available.
§ Mr. BaldryMy Department currently uses 139 portable telephones, costing £44,000 per annum for line rental; 428 pagers and electronic bleepers, which cost £20,000 per annum to rent; and 15 car telephones, costing £5,000 per annum for line rental.
My Department is also responsible for 34 car telephones and two pagers and electronic bleepers which are fitted in the pool cars and associated maintenance vehicles operated by the Government car service. The annual rental for this equipment is £11,000.
The equipment is allocated to business units and not specifically to individual officers.