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Departmental Travel

Volume 469: debated on Tuesday 11 December 2007

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) how much his Department spent on (a) business and (b) first class air travel in the last 12 months; (171249)

(2) how much was spent by his Department on first class train tickets in the last 12 months.

DFID's expenditure on flights booked centrally for the 12-month period April 2006 to March 2007 was £6,876,805, including business class flights costing £5,726,318 and first class flights costing £41,922.

Staff rules preclude use of first class travel, except by Ministers, officials accompanying them, and the most senior members of the senior civil service. Rules relating to the use of air travel and fare entitlements are set out in the Staff Handbook.

DFID's expenditure on UK train tickets for the 12-month period April 2006 to March 2007 was £366,684.

Data distinguished between classes of travel are not routinely maintained and could not be produced without the incurring of disproportionate cost. Staff may travel first class when they are travelling overnight or expected to work during the journey.