§ Mr. VazTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 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. GoodladThe number of portable telephones, pagers, electronic bleepers and car telephones presently used by the diplomatic and aid wings of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and associated annual operating costs are as follows:
FCO (Diplomatic and Aid Wings) FY 1993–94 £ (a) 174 portable telephones 58,663 (b) 260 pagers and electronic bleepers 44,842 (c) 3 fixed car telephones 1,032 Total 104,537 Mobile telephones and pagers are issued to Ministers, the permanent under-secretary, assistant under-secretary of state and private offices on demand; heads of department for use by duty officers; information and emergency aid department; and any officer who can justify an official need.