Departmental Staff (Travel)

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To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the mileage rates currently applicable to staff, indicating changes which have been made to encourage staff to switch from cars to public transport and other less polluting forms of travel. [67491]

[holding answer 26 January 1999]: The standard mileage rates reimbursed to staff in the core-Department together with the Centre for Environmental Fisheries and Aquaculture Agency, the Central Science Laboratory Agency, the Farming and Rural Conservation Agency, the Pesticides Safety Directorate, the Veterinary Laboratories Agency and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate are set out in the following table:

Pence per mile
Engine size	Up to 5,000 miles	Over 5,000 miles
Up to 1,500cc	36	24
1,501–2,000cc	45	28
Over 2,000cc	48	37

The Department has strict rules to ensure that any travel on official business is authorised only when it is absolutely necessary and that cars may be used only when they are the most cost-effective method of travel. However, many of the Department's customers are based in rural locations so that the public transport options are often curtailed.Different mileage rates apply within the Meat Hygiene Service Agency and I have asked the Chief Executive to reply directly.

Letter from Johnston McNeill to Mr. Norman Baker, dated January 1999:

As Chief Executive of the Meat Hygiene Service (MHS) your question to the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food enquiring about the mileage rate currently applicable to staff and indicating the changes which have been made to encourage staff to switch from cars to public transport and other less polluting forms of transport has been passed to me to reply as regards this Executive Agency.

The MHS applies the following mileage rates:

Mileage rates
Essential car user
Lump Sum per annum	£783
Per mile, first 10,000 miles	34.9p per mile
Per mile, after 10,000 miles	13.3p per mile
Casual car user
Per mile, first 10,000 miles	44.1p per mile
Per mile, after 10,000 miles	13.3p per mile
Leased Cars	9.3p per mile

The majority of MHS car users are operational staff who are responsible for supervising MHS plant-based staff at some 1,600 licensed fresh meat premises scattered across Great Britain. Many licensed premises are situated in outlying areas where public transport is not available. The use of cars is therefore essential for MHS staff to carry out their duties.

I can assure you that the MHS does encourage the use of public transport wherever it is practical.

Volume 324: debated on Thursday 28 January 1999