To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the answer to the right hon. Member for Horsham of 14 July 2008, Official Report, column 27W, on carbon emissions: Government departments, how much air mileage incurred through departmental travel was used to calculate the departmental payment to the Government Carbon Offsetting Fund in each year that his Department and its predecessor have participated in the fund, broken down by (a) domestic, (b) short haul and (c) long haul flights. (221994)

The Department’s predecessor, the Department for Education and Skills, first contributed to the Government Carbon Offsetting fund for its 2006/07 air travel and reported the following mileage:

Figures for 2007/08 for the Department are currently being cleared for submission within the annual return on Sustainable Development in Government.

To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families whether those staff of his Department who are entitled to business class or first class air travel are permitted to (a) travel in a cheaper class to the destination and (b) benefit in monetary terms or kind from the saving. (222004)

The class of air travel which staff may book depends upon grade, the length of time the journey will take, as well as airlines’ fare structures on various routes. Whether or not a member of staff is entitled to travel first class or business class, all members of DCSF have a responsibility to make appropriate decisions on how to travel and to secure value for money in the use of travel budgets. DCSF members of staff are permitted to travel in a cheaper class to the destination although any saving would not generate a monetary or in kind benefit for the individual.

All travel undertaken by DCSF staff is undertaken in accordance with the requirements of the ‘Civil Service Management Code’ and Treasury guidance set out in ‘Managing Public Money’ on the avoidance of personal profit from public business. DCSF has a travel service contract with a travel agent for all flight bookings, the costs being paid centrally. DCSF staff are expected to use the contract, whenever possible, when booking any travel tickets.