HC Deb 01 December 1999 vol 340 cc253-6W
Dr. Lynne Jones

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what motor mileage allowance rates her Department offers to(a) Ministers and (b) civil servants using their own vehicles for official business; and what has been the cost of each in each of the last five years. [98724]

Pence per mile
Cabinet Office Ministers and civil servants (excluding civil servants in the Agencies)1 Up to 4,000 miles Over 4,000 miles
Motor car up to 1500cc 34 19
Motor car over 1500cc 43 23
Motor cycles and motor cycle combinations up to 125cc Third Party insurance 14.6 6.1
Motor cycles and motor cycle combinations over 125cc Third Party insurance 22.1 9.0
Motor cycles and motor cycle combinations up to 125cc Comprehensive insurance 16.2 6.1
Motor cycles and motor cycle combinations over 125cc Comprehensive insurance 25.3 9.0
Passenger supplement—first passenger 2p per mile (flat rate)
Passenger supplement—each additional passenger 1p per mile (flat rate)
Equipment supplement 2p per mile (flat rate)
Public transport rate2
1 The above rates do not apply to Security Facilities Division. The motor mileage rates for Security Facilities Division are 36p per mile up to 10,000 miles and 28p per mile thereafter with a passenger allowance of 2p per mile (no equipment supplement).
2 There is no public transport rate. The maximum payable would be the equivalent public transport costs.

Pence per mile
Civil servants in the Civil Service College Up to 4,000 miles Over 4,000 miles
Motor car up to 1500cc 35 20
Motor car over 1500cc 45 25
Motor cycles and motor cycle combinations up to 125cc Third Party insurance 14.6 6.1
Motor cycles and motor cycle combinations over 125cc Third Party insurance 22.1 9.0
Motor cycles and motor cycle combinations up to 125cc Comprehensive insurance 16.2 6.1
Motor cycles and motor cycle combinations over 125cc Comprehensive insurance 25.3 9.0
Passenger supplement—first passenger 2p per mile (flat rate)
Passenger supplement—each additional passenger 1p per mile (flat rate)
Equipment supplement 2p per mile (flat rate)
Public transport rate 26p (flat rate)

Pence per mile
Civil servants in the Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency Up to 4,000 miles Over 4,000 miles
Motor car up to 1500cc 35.7 18
Motor car 1501cc–2000cc 42 22
Motor car over 2000cc 46 30
Motor cycles and motor cycle combinations up to 125cc Third Party insurance 14.6 6.1
Motor cycles and motor cycle combinations over 125cc Third Party insurance 22.1 9.0
Motor cycles and motor cycle combinations up to 125cc Comprehensive insurance 16.2 6.1
Motor cycles and motor cycle combinations over 125cc Comprehensive insurance 25.3 9.0
Passenger supplement—first passenger 2p per mile (flat rate)
Passenger supplement—each additional passenger 1p per mile (flat rate)
Equipment supplement n/a
Public transport rate 23p (flat rate)

Mr. Stringer

The current motor mileage allowance rates offered by the Cabinet Office, its agencies and the Central Office of Information to Ministers and civil servants using their own vehicles for official business are as follows. Cabinet Office Ministers, when travelling on official business, may use a private car instead of an official car, and claim mileage allowance in the same circumstances and on the same terms as civil servants in the central department.

There were no payments to Ministers in 1997–98 and 1998–99. Payments to civil servants in 1997–98 and 1998–99 totalled £368,000 and £412,000 respectively. The information for the previous three years is not available in the form requested and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Pence per mile
Civil servants in the Government Car and Despatch Agency Up to 4,000 miles Over 4,000 miles
Motor car up to 1500cc 34 18
Motor car 1501cc–2000cc 43 23
Motor car over 2000cc 47 30
Motor cycles and motor cycle combinations up to 125cc 14.5 6.2
Motor cycles and motor cycle combinations over 125cc 22.8 9.0
Passenger supplement—first passenger n/a
Passenger supplement—each additional passenger n/a
Equipment supplement n/a
Public transport rate 23.8p (flat rate)

Pence per mile
Civil servants or Property Advisers to the Civil Estate Up to 4,000 miles Over 4,000 miles
Motor car up to 1500cc 34 19
Motor car 1501cc–2000cc 43 23
Motor car over 2000cc 47 30
Motor cycles and motor cycle combinations up to 125cc Third Party insurance 14.5 6.2
Motor cycles and motor cycle combinations over 125cc Third Party insurance 22.8 9.0
Motor cycles and motor cycle combinations up to 125cc Comprehensive insurance 16.2 6.2
Motor cycles and motor cycle combinations over 125cc Comprehensive insurance 25.3 9.0
Passenger supplement—first passenger 2p per mile (flat rate)
Passenger supplement—each additional passenger 1p per mile (flat rate)
Equipment supplement 2p per mile (flat rate)
Public transport rate 23.8

Pence per mile
Civil servants in the Central Office of Information Up to 4,000 miles Over 4,000 miles
Motor cars 40 21
Motor cycles and motor cycle combinations 23.8p (flat rate)
Passenger supplement—first passenger 2p per mile (flat rate)
Passenger supplement—each additional passenger 1p per mile (flat rate)
Equipment supplement n/a
Public transport rate 23.8p (flat rate)

Civil Servants in the Buying Agency

The Buying Agency pay a flat 30p per mile to all civil servants using their own vehicle for official business with a passenger supplement of 2p per passenger (no equipment supplement).

Dr. Lynne Jones

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) how much her Department has spent on ministerial transport in each of the last two years; [98718]

(2) on civil servants' transport in each of the last two years. [98719]

Mr. Ian McCartney

Responsibility for this matter has been delegated under the terms of the Framework Document to the Government Car and Despatch Agency. I have asked its Chief Executive, Mr. Nick Matheson, to write to my hon. Friend.

The cost of private car services for Cabinet Office Ministers in 1997–98 was £3,050.77. The cost of private car services for Cabinet Office Ministers in 1998–99 was £1,694.56.

The Cabinet Office (excluding Security Facilities Division) spent £3,786,000 on civil servants' transport in 1997–98 and £4,001,000 in 1998–99. This is mainly based on actual expenditure, but includes a small number of estimates where exact figures are not available. The figures for Security Facilities Division and Central Office of Information are not readily available, and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost. All travel undertaken by civil servants complies with the requirements of the Civil Service Management Code.

Letter from Nick Matheson to Dr. Lynne Jones, dated November 1999: The Minister of State has asked me in my capacity as Chief Executive of the Government Car and Despatch Agency to reply to your Parliamentary Question about how much has been spent on ministerial transport in each of the last two years. The total cost of providing the Government Car Service was £7.79 million in 1997/98 and £8.06 million in 1998/99. The total costs for allocated services to all ministers were £4.30 million in 1997/98 and £4.32 million in 1998/99. These costs also include non-ministerial use such as the movement of documents and for use by officials as directed by the ministerial private office. The total costs for allocated services to senior officials were £740,000 in 1997/98 and £950,000 in 1998/99. The remaining costs in both years covered other services provided by the Government Car Service. The Government Car and Despatch Agency charges customer departments for the services provided on a basis that recovers all costs.