asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the cost in each year since 1979 to date of the Government car service; and how many Ministers are currently eligible for a chauffeured car.

Departmental records for the period 1979 to 1982 are no longer available.The cost of providing the Government car service to Ministers was as follows:

	£ thousand
1982–83	1,595
1983–84	1,745
1984–85	1,844
1985–86	2,125
1986–871	1,726
1 To 31 December 1986.

All Ministers are eligible for a chauffeuured car and the Government car service currently provides chauffer driven services to 80 Ministers.