§ Mr. VazTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 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. NelsonThe Treasury currently uses 23 mobile telephones, 71 pagers and electronic bleepers and seven car telephones. The total annual operating cost of this equipment is £20,300 excluding VAT and telephone call costs.
The mobile telephones are mainly used in the offices of Ministers and senior officials. The pagers and bleepers are provided to some staff whose jobs regularly take them out of their offices but who need to be contactable, for example, computer support personnel or office services staff.