§ Mr. ChopeTo ask the Secretary of State for WorkMixed/Other and Pensions (1) what the total expenditure of(a) his and (b) its agencies was on official travelling in 2001–02; [84789]
(2) what the total budget of (a) his Department and (b) its agencies is for official travel in 2002–03. [84941]
§ Mr. Nicholas Brown[holding answer 3 December 2002] Since 1999 the Government have published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing £500 or more during each financial year. The Government have also published on an annual basis the cost of all Ministers' visits overseas. Details of travel undertaken during the period I April 2001 to 31 March 2002 were published on 24 July 2002, Official Report, column 75W. The cost of Ministers' visits overseas for 2002–03 will be published as soon as possible after the end of the current financial year. Copies of the lists are available in the Library.
All travel is undertaken fully in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers, copies of which are available in the Library.
In respect of travel by officials of the Department, the figures for expenditure in 2001–02 and budget for 2002–03 are set out in the following table.
1033W
£ million Expenditure 2001–02 Total Department 61.4 Benefits Agency 19.0 Child Support Agency 3.8 The Appeals Service 0.6 Employment Service 23.6 Corporate Centre 14.4
£ Million Budget 2002–03 Total Department 69.0 Jobcentre Plus 42.4 Child Support Agency 3.5 The Appeals Service 0.6 The Pension Service 4.0 Corporate Centre 18.5 Notes:
1.Following the significant restructuring of DWP the Benefits Agency discontinued its operations. Its functions dispersed between the newly formed agencies Jobcentre Plus and Pension Service, and the corporate centre. It is not possible therefore to make direct, like for like comparisons between expenditure and budget figures.
2.The Child Benefit Centre and Disability and Carer Services formerly within BA are, with effect from 1 April 2002, accounted within the DWP Corporate Centre. Pensions and Overseas Directorate and all work in ex-DSS relating to pensions is now carried out by The Pension Service. The remainder of BA and the Employment Service integrated to form Jobcentre Plus.
3.The Health and Safety Executive and Health and Safety Laboratory has recently moved into DWP under a machinery of Government change. The budget figures for HSE/HSL are not included.