To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what rates of travel allowance may be claimed by civil servants in his Department when using their own vehicles for official business. [36367]
The mileage allowances payable to civil servants using their own vehicles in my Department are:
| Cars—Standard mileage rate | |||
| Engine capacity | Up to 1500cc | 1501–2000cc | Over 2000cc |
| Pence per mile | |||
| Up to 4000 miles (pa) | 34 | 43 | 47 |
| Over 4000 miles (pa) | 19 | 23 | 30 |
| Motor Cycles and Motor Cycle Combinations | ||
| Engine capacity | Up to 125cc | Over 125cc |
| Up to 4000 miles (pa) (comprehensive insurance) | 16.2 | 25.3 |
| Up to 4000 miles (pa) (third party insurance) | 14.5 | 22.8 |
| Over 4000 miles | 6.2 | 9.0 |
| Pedal cycles | 6.2p per mile | |
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment 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 five years if the maximum rate that could be claimed was set at the lowest rate. [36368]
The total cost of travel expenses claimed by staff using their own vehicles for official business was some £450,000 in 1993–94 and £640,000 in 1994–1995. Records are no longer available for earlier years and records showing the actual rate claimed are not kept. It is not possible, therefore to estimate the saving if the lower rate had not been claimed in each case.