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Taxis

Answer

The information requested on taxi travel expenditure is only available from 2005-06. Such information as is available is in the following table.

Period (April to March each year)	Expenditure (£ million)	Full-time equivalent staff resources (averaged over each year)
2005-06	1.89	119,972
2006-07	2.45	114,500
2007-08	2.02	107,998
2008-09	2.29	102,374
2009-10	1.91	115,296

This expenditure includes expenditure on minicab/taxi firms and black cabs.Note that the full-time equivalent staff resource figures include CMEC.Expenditure by the Department on taxis needs to be seen in the following context:"We estimate that some 40% of expenditure on taxis is incurred to enable disabled members of staff to travel to and from work. This expenditure represents payment by the Department of costs which in the case of other employers could be claimed for under the ““Access to Work”” scheme which Government Departments voluntarily forego;""This amount of expenditure should also be viewed in the context of the size of the DWP work force of over 100,000 employees and the nature of its business operations that cover an office network of over 1,000 locations across Great Britain."The Department has clear policies in place which not only limit the circumstances under which officials can justify the use of taxis but also challenges the need to travel and strongly advocates the use of video and teleconferences wherever these facilities are practical alternatives.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

12990; 515 c943-4W

Session

2010-12

Subjects

Department for Work and Pensions Taxis

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk