§ Mr. BeggsTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the total cost of air travel between Northern Ireland and Great Britain was for(a) Ministers and (b) officials in the Department in the latest year for which figures are available.[184533]
§ Mr. McNultyMinisters use a variety of public transport services when undertaking departmental business and all ministerial travel is undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers.
The majority of this Department's air tickets are booked through a centrally negotiated travel agency contract. The total cost of travel between Great Britain and Northern Ireland hooked through that contract in the financial year 2003–04 was £85,974.
The cost of any bookings outside the contract possibly made in the same period could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.