To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost of travel by train by staff was in his Department in 2002. [106386]

The Home Office is committed to ensuring that staff use the most efficient and economic means of travel commensurate with operational needs. It is the Department's policy to encourage staff to use public transport rather than private cars for official travel in accordance with the Government's policy on Green Transport.During the period 1 January to 31 December 2002, a total of £2,057,785 from public funds was spent on train travel by Home Office staff within the United Kingdom.