§ Mr. StunellTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total value in real terms of(a) staff car mileage claims paid and (b) staff rail fares paid in each year since 1989–90; and what was the total amount of staff car mileage for which reimbursement was made and the percentage change in each year since 1989–90. [42554]
§ Mr. SpellarUnfortunately, the Department does not keep separate records for expenditure on these items back to Financial Year 1989-90. However, data have been retrieved back to 1991 for the amounts paid to civil servants in the Ministry of Defence as reimbursement for the use of their own vehicles on all forms of official duty, although mileage figures are only available since 1994. These are shown in the table; costs are given both as 321W actual in-year figures and at constant 1997–98 prices (i.e. uplifted for inflation by use of the Treasury GDP deflator):
(a) Car mileage claims paid £ Financial year Actual cost Constant price at 1997–98 values 1991–92 11,800,000 13,954,000 1992–93 11,840,000 13,437,000 1993–94 11,230,000 12,384,000 1994–95 11,500,000 12,493,000 1995–96 12,200,000 12,896,500 1996–97 12,700,000 13,043,000 1997–98 12,100,000 12,100,000 The cost of rail travel undertaken by civil servants on official duty over the same period and given in the same format is as follows:
(b) Cost of rail fares £ Financial year Actual cost Constant price at 1997–98 values 1993–94 5,229,660 5,767,148 1994–95 4,140,617 4,498,253 1995–96 4,817,745 5,092,796 1996–97 4,888,864 5,020,863 1997–98 4,897,573 4,897,573 The total mileages, and percentage changes by year, which are reflected in the figures provided at (a) above from 1994–95 onwards are as follows:
Financial year Total mileage (million) Percentage variation 1994–95 43.8 — 1995–96 46.1 +5 1996–97 47.3 +2.5 1997–98 45.4 -4
§ Mr. StunellTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total number of staff of all grades employed by his Department; and what percentage of these staff were eligible to claim a car mileage allowance on 31 March in each year since 1990. [42555]
§ Dr. ReidThe total number of civilian staff of all grades employed by the Ministry of Defence on 31 March in each year since 1990 are listed in the table.
Year Number 1990 139,100 1991 138,000 1992 137,300 1993 126,900 1994 123,900 1995 118,000 1996 111,600 1997 111,000 1998 105,900 For each year, all staff with a valid driving licence and vehicle insurance were eligible to claim a car mileage 322W allowance while on detached duties. The Department does not record the number of employees who hold such documents.