To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how much his Department and its predecessor spent on (a) business and (b) first class air travel in the last 12 months. (171256)

The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills was created as a result of Machinery of Government changes in June 2007. Information on travel expenditure to this detail is not collected centrally in the Department. This information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, year to date, the Department has spent £276,455 on air travel.