§ Sir Alan HaselhurstTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many children under the age of 16 years had air fares subsidised(a) wholly and (b) partly by reason of their relationship to service personnel and employees of his Department for travel between the United Kingdom and (i) other EU 491W states and (ii) non-EU states in the last year for which information is available; and what was the total cost of the subsidy. [9321]
§ Mr HanleyThis Department does not distinguish by age between children in receipt of children's concessionary journeys. Officers serving overseas may claim the whole cost of no more than
three journeys a year for children in primary or secondary boarding school education;two journeys a year for unmarried children studying full-time for their first degree at university or college provided they have taken no more than one year away from full-time education;one journey a year for unmarried children under 21 who are unemployed or undergoing vocational training.In 1995–96, the last full year for which figures are available, this Department—diplomatic wing and Overseas Development Administration—paid for 145 air fares in respect of 120 children to EU countries, and for 1,091 air fares in respect of 728 children to non-EU countries. Total expenditure was £1,009,109.