To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the mileage rates applicable from January 1999 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. [79522]

For some years the Department has operated a single mileage rate based on the average of the bands set by the Inland Revenue Authorised Mileage Rates. This acts as a disincentive for the use of larger engine capacity cars (over 1500 cc).The rates are payable irrespective of the type of fuel used thus benefiting staff driving alternative fuelled vehicles.We are currently revising the pedal cycle rate to encourage the use of bicycles.The tables give details of the current rates.