To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what is his estimate of the total cost for himself and other departmental Ministers for each year since 1991–92, with an estimate for the current year of (a) overseas travel and accommodation expenses of Ministers and their advisers, (b) car and chauffeuring costs of Ministers, (c) ministerial security costs and (d) domestic travel and accommodation expenses of Ministers; [6388](2) what is his estimate of running his departmental office, and that of his predecessor, for each year since 1990–91 with an estimate for the current year, broken down into

The Ministers' and top management programme budget provides for the salaries of Ministers. the permanent secretary, the special adviser and the costs of operating private offices, a parliamentary branch. a Ministers' correspondence unit and an appointments section. The appointments section has formed part of this programme only since October 1994. The total cost of this programme for the financial years readily available was as follows:

Year	£million
1992–93	1.5
1993–94	1.7
1994–95	1.7

The estimated expenditure for the current financial year is £1.8 million. The costs of travel and subsistence for Ministers, the permanent secretary, the special adviser and their staff is estimated to be £130,000 for the current financial year. The budget does not cover other advisers, nor does it distinguish between overseas and domestic travel.The cost of providing Government cars and drivers to Ministers in the Department in the current financial year is estimated to be £229,000 for this financial year.There is no specific budget for ministerial security costs. Expenditure on telephones and office refurbishment in each of the years 1990–91 is included in the running cost expenditure of the Department, which is published in the annual report.Total staff costs for the programme—which includes the offices described—is estimated to he £1 million in the current financial year. Press and communications costs relating specifically to Ministers cannot be separately identified.Entertainment, alcoholic drinks and non-alcoholic drinks are included in the hospitality budget. The estimate for the current year for this budget item is £25.000. Stationery costs for the whole of the programme are also estimated to he £25,000.