To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost was of running the offices of the (a) Adjutant General, (b) Army Board and (c) Chief of the General Staff in 2006; and what change there has been in the cost of each since 2002. (127539)

The full cost of running the outer offices of the Army Board members are not recorded separately and could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost.

However, the majority of the costs arise from staff pay and the establishment of each office remained largely unaltered between 2002 and 2006. The 2006 establishment together with the 2006 salary range for each position is shown as follows. These figures do not include civilian overtime or staff car drivers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many internal flights were taken by the (a) Adjutant General, (b) Chief of the General Staff, (c) non-ministerial members of the Army Board and (d) Assistant Chief of the General Staff in 2006; how many of those flights were with (i) military and (ii) commercial carriers; and what the cost was. (127568)

A breakdown of UK commercial and military flights undertaken in 2006 is shown in the following table. The military flights shown form part of wider funded flying activity, which is required to keep pilots trained and aircraft and airfields current and serviceable. The cost for RAF flights is a notional cost only calculated on the basis of a combination of aircraft capitation rates and flying hours. Information on Army flights has not been maintained in a way that would enable a representative notional cost calculation to be made.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what guidance his Department issues on the use of internal flights for travel by non-ministerial members of the Army Board; and what alternative modes of transport are considered; (139870)

(2) whether his Department issues guidance on the use of helicopters for travel by non-ministerial members of the Army Board; and if he will make a statement. (139871)

Since February this year the tasking of all military flights, both fixed wing and helicopters has been controlled by a single organisation within the Ministry of Defence acting under central policy direction. This policy requires that a high level of scrutiny is applied to such flights and that a detailed case should accompany each application.

Factors such as time, route, destination, protocol and security are considered, as well as the status of the customer, the availability of other, more cost-effective, methods of transport and the efficient use of our aircraft. Operational taskings always take priority over routine travel.