§ Mr. Matthew TaylorTo ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if it is her policy to continue to provide a464W foreign service allowance to Crown servants abroad; what is the reason for this allowance; what is the annual cost of the allowance; and if she will make a statement. [106462]
§ Mr. StringerResponsibility for allowances paid to Home Civil Servants serving overseas was delegated to Departments and agencies on 1 April 1996. Information on the annual cost of such allowances, which reimburse and compensate staff for the essential extra cost of having to live outside the UK in order to perform their duties, is not held centrally and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.