§ Mr. ChopeTo ask the Solicitor-General what the estimated cost is to her Department of the Central London Road User Charging Scheme for(a) 17 February 2003 to 31 March 2003, and (b) 1 April 2003 to 31 March 2004. [81888]
§ The Solicitor-General[holding answer 19 November 2002]In relation to the Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers, the cost of the charge on the two ministerial cars used by the Attorney-General and myself will be borne in the first instance by the Government Car Agency. No figures are currently available to me for the cost, if any, that will be passed to the Department. No employees of the Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers travel by car to work. Should the use of a private car be essential or cost effective for any special reason, the Department would bear the cost of the charge. It is not expected that any such occasion should arise.
The policy of the Treasury Solicitor's Department is to encourage its employees not to use private vehicles on official business and to encourage them to use public transport. The Department will, however, pay road tolls, including the Central London Road User Charge, where use of a private vehicle is essential or where the journey remains cost effective in comparison to the use of public transport.
The Crown Prosecution Service has no figures to show the estimated cost of the Central London Road User Charge for either of the specified periods.
The estimates of the likely additional costs to the Serious Fraud Office as a result of the introduction of the Central London Road User Charge are in relation to (a) £1,000 and (b) £10,000.
In respect of HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate, use of private cars is rare. It is estimated that the cost of the Central London Road User Charge is unlikely to exceed for the relevant periods (a) £20 and (b) £100.