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16 Jun 2004 : Column 1022W—continued
Ministerial Visits
David Davis: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs (1) if he will list the travel costs incurred by (a) the Department and its predecessors and (b) each Minister within his Department, for each of the last 10 years; [175655]
(2) how much the Department and its predecessor spent on ministerial travel by (a) car, (b) train, (c) aeroplane and (d) helicopter, in each of the last 10 years;. [175666]
(3) how many journeys were made by helicopter by each Minister in his Department and its predecessors in each of the last 10 years; and what the journey length was in each case. [175735]
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Mr. Lammy: The information is as follows:
(1) (a) Total travel costs for my Department, which covers costs for the Court Service, the Public Guardianship Office and DCA Headquarters was as per the table as follows:
| Period | Amount (£) |
|---|---|
| 2004–05 (To 31 May) | 726,579 |
| 2003–04 | 5,913,187 |
| 2002–03 | 5,035,694 |
| 2001–02 | 4,522,177 |
| 2000–01 | 4,169,902 |
| 1999–2000 | 4,237,897 |
| 1998–99 | 3,506,760 |
(1) (b) it is not possible to list the travel costs of each Minister within my Department without incurring disproportionate cost. However, aggregate travel and subsistency costs for the Private Offices, which covers costs for Ministers and Officials was as per the table:
| Period | Amount (£) |
|---|---|
| 2004–05 (To 31 May) | 11,280 |
| 2003–04 | 64,891 |
| 2002–03 | 83,051 |
| 2001–02 | 60,220 |
| 2000–01 | 98,592 |
| 1999–2000 | 59,823 |
| 1998–99 | 40.192 |
Information on previous years is not readily available.
(2) (a) My hon. Friend the Minister of the Cabinet office has asked Nick Matheson, Chief Executive of the Government Car and Despatch Agency to write to the hon. Member with details of the cost of ministerial vehicles provided to this Department.
(2) (b) (c) and (d) it is not possible for my Department to provide the full detailed information requested without incurring disproportionate cost.
(3) My Department's records cannot provide a definite, exact answer, without incurring disproportionate cost.
16 Jun 2004 : Column 1024W
In respect of overseas travel by Ministers, 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. Copies of the lists are available in the Libraries of the House. These report information reaching back to 1995–06. Information for earlier years could be obtained only at disproportionate cost and in some cases will no longer be held. Information for 2003–04 will be published in due course.
My Department has published rules for official travel in its staff handbook and Ministerial travel is governed by the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers, copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House.
Working Time Directive
Mr. Tynan: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many employees in the Department have (a) signed a formal opt out from and (b) are exempt from the Working Time Directive; and how many employees in his Department have recorded hours, including any accruing on a flexitime basis, in excess of the maximum allowed under the Working Time Directive in the last month for which figures are available. [178361]
Mr. Lammy: Managers in my Department are required to obtain a written agreement if an employee chooses to work more than the 48 hour average weekly limit. This information is held locally and is not readily available. I will write to the hon. member as soon as the information is available. There are currently no staff employed who are exempt from the Working Time Directive. Working hours, including those accruing on a flexitime basis, are monitored by line managers locally and no central figures are available. Managers are instructed to monitor hours closely if staff work close to or over 48 hours per week to ensure compliance with the Regulations. The Department is fully committed to reducing the number of employees required to work in excess of 48 hours per week commensurate with operational needs. It does so by adjusting working hours and redesigning jobs in order to keep such posts to an absolute minimum and the policy is kept under regular review.