asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total cost incurred during the course of the last three financial years in the provision of motor vehicles for Ministers, specifying in each year the make, number and cost of purchasing vehicles, the cost of their maintenance and the cost of employing drivers.

The total cost of provision by the Government car service of motor vehicles for Ministers in 1974–75 was some £500,000.I regret that comparable figures for the earlier years are not available and could not be obtained without disproportionate cost, because of changes in the basis of accounting.The detailed information requested under the headings specified is as follows:

(1) VEHICLES PURCHASED DURING THE LAST THREE FINANCIAL YEARS
		Number	Cost
			£
1972–73—
Rover 3·5s	…	6	14,132
Wolseley 6s	…	4	4,754
		10	18,886
		Number	Cost
			£
1973–74—
Rover 3·5s	…	10	25,293
Wolseley 6s	…	20	31,225
		30	56,518
1974–75—
Wolseley 6s	…	16	33,755

(2) The overall maintenance costs (including fuel) for Ministers' cars were:
					£
1972–73	…	…	…	…	43,200
1973–74	…	…	…	…	51,600
1974–75	…	…	…	…	73,000

These figures include the cost of certain special modifications. The increases are partly attributable to the introduction of a more fully costed commercial type accounting covering commercial rental, full on-costs, interest on capital, etc; and partly to increases in prices, including the cost of fuel.

(3) The approximate costs of employing drivers
				£
1972–73	…	…	…	190,000
1973–74	…	…	…	230,000
1974–75	…	…	…	315,000