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Northern Ireland Office

Answer

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what his estimate is of the cost of (a) ministerial cars and drivers and (b) taxis for his Department in each of the last two years. [202409] Mr. Pearson: In relation to the cost of ministerial cars for the 2002-03 year I would refer to the response given by the then Minister for the Cabinet Office (Mr. Alexander) on 13 November 2003, Official Report, columns 397-98W. A letter was deposited in the Library in relation to this response which gave the cost of ministerial cars for Northern Ireland Office (NIO) Ministers while in mainland Great Britain. The cost of ministerial cars for NIO Ministers while in Northern Ireland cannot be extracted from other costs relating to the security and protection of Ministers. In relation to ministerial cars for the 2003-04 year. My hon. Friend the Minister for 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 his Department in 2003-04. This correspondence will include details on the cost of cars for Northern Ireland Office Ministers while in mainland GB. Again, the cost of ministerial cars for NIO Ministers while in Northern Ireland for 2003-03 cannot be extracted from other costs relating to the security and protection of Ministers. The costs of taxis booked using the Northern Ireland Office's travel booking service were £21,919.80 in 2002-03 and £13,954.12 in 2003-04. These figures do not include the costs of taxis used by staff for official purposes, the cost of which is recovered from the Department by way of expense claims. This answer relates only to the Northern Ireland Office and does not include information in respect of the 11 Departments of the Northern Ireland Administration.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

202409; 428 c1206-7W

Session

2004-05

Subjects

Costs Government departments Ministers Taxis Travel Official cars Northern Ireland Office

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

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