To ask the Secretary of State for Health on how many occasions (a) she and (b) Ministers in her Department have used (i) non-scheduled flights and (ii) helicopters within the UK on official business in the last 12 months; and what the (A) purpose and (B) estimated cost was of each such flight. (118164)

The Secretary of State and Ministers in her Department have not used any unscheduled flights in the last 12 months.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State visited the Kent, Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance Charity on 30 October 2006 and took a short helicopter flight at the request of the Chief Executive of the Charity at no cost to the Department or the Air Ambulance Charity.

The cost of our aircraft on that occasion was borne by the aviation contractor. It follows therefore that it was at no cost to either the Department, or the Air Ambulance Charity