§ Mr. StunellTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the total number of staff of all grades employed by the Department; and what percentage of these staff were eligible to claim a car mileage allowance on 31 March in each year since 1990. [36165]
§ Mrs. RocheThe total number of staff employed by the Department of Trade and Industry, inclusive of Agencies, as at 31 March in each of the years 1990–1997 is as follows:
Year Number of staff 1990 11,802 1991 12,419 1992 12,301 1993 11,497 1994 10,737 1995 10,168 1996 9,727 1997 9,096 Potentially all staff employed as Civil Servants within the Department are eligible to claim car mileage allowance if they use their own vehicles to undertake official business. These figures have been extracted from payroll data.
§ Mr. StunellTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the total real term value of(a) staff car mileage claims paid and (b) staff rail fares paid; and what was the total amount of staff car mileage for which reimbursement was made and the percentage change year on year, for each year since 1989–90. [36164]
§ Mrs. RocheThe DTI has devolved to local management the authorisation of travel claims for its staff, subject to checking procedures. The DTI does not record expenditure on staff car mileage claims, or staff rail fares paid, separately from other travel and subsistence expenses paid to staff undertaking departmental business. To provide the information requested would entail disproportionate cost.