To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what rates of travel allowance may be claimed by civil servants in his Department when using their vehicles for official business. [36351]

The current rates of travel allowance that staff in the Treasury may claim when using their vehicles for official business are as follows:

Standard rate (pence per mile)
Cars with engine capacity	Up to 1500 cc	1501–2000 cc	Over 2000 cc
Up to 5,000 miles	35.7	40	43
Over 5,000 miles	17	21	27

Motorcycles with engine capacity
	Up to 125cc	Over 125cc
First, 4,000 miles at:	15.4p	24.7p
Over 4,000 miles at:	5.5p	8.1p

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the total cost of travel expenses claimed by civil servants using their own vehicles for official business in each of the last five years in his Department; and what would have been the saving in the last year if the maximum rate that could be claimed was set at the lowest rate. [36352]

The total cost of travel expenses claimed by civil servants using their own vehicles for official business in the Treasury in the last five years is as follows:

	£000
1995–96	7
1994–95	21
1993–94	23
1992–93	32
1991–92	29
1 To date.

The saving in the last full year can only be estimated, as the records on mileages travelled on individual trips by individual officials are currently held manually and it would involve disproportionate cost to work through those. Of the £21,000 shown for 1994–95, only £7,700 was reimbursed at our maximum rates. The saving had reimbursement been at our lower rate in that year is estimated to be approximately £2.900.