Written question asked by David TC Davies (Conservative) on Tuesday, 12 July 2005, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 14 July 2005. It was answered by Lord Touhig (Labour) on Tuesday, 19 July 2005 on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.

Taxis

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 23 June 2005, Official Report, column 1146W, on taxis, what estimate he has made of the cost of providing the information requested.

Answer: The general procedure in the Ministry of Defence is that taxi fares are paid by the hirers and reclaimed from the Department, often combined with other elements of travelling and subsistence claims. The costs of taxi fares are not collected centrally or recorded separately once claims are authorised for payment. Providing the information would therefore entail personal analyses of claims by every serviceman and civil servant. Receipts are only required to be retained for three years after the end of the financial year in which claims are made, and information would not be obtainable from personnel who have left the services or Department.I do not consider this a practicable exercise, and it is therefore unrealistic to attempt to estimate the very considerable cost of mounting it.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 12690; 436 c1540-1W;436 c1540-1W
Session: 2005-06
Related items: Taxis
Monday, 9 January 2006
Written questions
House of Commons
Subjects: Ministry of Defence Taxis