(2) what protocols determine the (a) eligibility and (b) use by (i) Ministers, (ii) former Ministers and (iii) officials in her Department of cars supplied by (A) Kelly Executive and (B) Little's Chauffeur Drive; and how much was spent by her Department on services from each such company in 2007;
(3) what the terms and conditions of her Department's contract with Kelly Executive are; and if she will make a statement.
[holding answer 5 March 2008]: The Government Car and Despatch Agency (GCDA) makes use of outside car and driver contractors to cover for peak periods, out of normal working hours work or where all its own resources are already utilised. GCDA provides these resources to any minister or official when it is operationally required to do so as set out in its framework document, copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House.
These contracts are with a number of car and driver companies and were set up in 2003 following a public sector procurement exercise conducted under European Union procurement procedures. The contracts were let using the Cabinet Office's standard contract. GCDA became part of the Department for Transport in November 2005 and these contracts were migrated to the DfT at that time.
Since April 2007 GCDA has purchased services worth £170,600 from Kelly Executive and £19,600 from Little's Chauffeur Drive. Both figures exclude VAT. All these fees were recharged to the appropriate Department.