To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much was spent by his Department on taxis in the last 12 months. (153271)

All official travel is undertaken in accordance with the rules contained in the Department’s staff handbook, and consistent with the Civil Service Management Code and the Ministerial Code. For the financial year 2006-07 £33,907.44 is the recorded spend on taxi fares. It represents expenditure on taxis provided by the Department’s contract agent, black cabs and taxis in London and elsewhere.