§ Chris Grayling:To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many officials of (a) Department of Health and (b) agencies funded by the Department of Health are entitled to chauffeur-driven vehicles. [127685]
§ Ms Rosie Winterton:The Prime Minister's guidance on travel by Ministers states that allocated cars and drivers will be provided for all Cabinet Ministers, Ministers of State and Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State and that allocated cars and drivers will also be made available to permanent secretaries, other officials of equivalent rank and certain designated chief executives (normally at permanent secretary level).
The Department currently has one Secretary of State, two Ministers of State and three Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State all of whom have been allocated an official car and driver. Additionally the permanent secretary and the chief medical officer also make use of an official car and driver each.