§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the cost to his Department has been for(a) first and (b) business class travel incurred by employees in each of the last three financial years; and which of his Department's staff are entitled to travel (a) first and (b) business class. [172114]
643W
§ Mr. Mike O'Brien[holding answer 13 May 2004]: Foreign and Commonwealth Office expenditure on First and Business class air travel by its staff during the last three financial years was:
£ Financial year First class Business class 2001–02 723,145 12,392,629 2002–03 675,400 11,684,958 2003–04 377,680 10,983,035 For journeys with a flying time of up to three hours only Senior Management Staff in Pay Band 2 or above may travel business class. Where flights last over three hours Senior Management Staff with Permanent Secretary rank may travel first class, others business class.
Heads of Mission not entitled to first class by grade may travel first class on the last leg of the journey on first arrival at their Post, on the first leg of the journey on final departure from their Post or on their first visit to any other country, to which they are accredited.
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much has been spent from his Department's budget towards paying school fees for children of his Department's staff in each of the last three years. [172115]
§ Mr. Mike O'Brien[holding answer 13 May 2004]: During the last three financial years Foreign and Commonwealth Office expenditure on education fees for children of members of staff was:
£ Financial year Amount 2001–02 13,806,197 2002–03 15,990,618 2003–04 17,761,886 The Foreign and Commonwealth Office accounts for 2003–04 have not yet been finalised and may therefore be subject to revision. The published accounts will be expressed in resource rather than cash terms.