asked the Secretary of State for Employment how much money was recovered during the past 12 months from civil servants who reimbursed his Department following privatae use of the telephone, in accordance with the Civil Service code of conduct.

The sum of £294·62 was recovered during the past 12 months from civil servants who reimbursed my Department for the cost of private telephone calls made on official telephones in our headquarters offices. The cost of extending the inquiry to local offices would be disproportionate.