To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills whether staff of (a) his Department and (b) its agencies who are entitled to business class or first class air travel are permitted to (i) travel in a cheaper class to the destination and (ii) benefit in monetary terms or kind from the saving. (222100)

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 DIUS have a responsibility to make appropriate decisions on how to travel and to secure value for money in the use of travel budgets. DIUS 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 DIUS staff is undertaken in accordance with the staff handbook and 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.

DIUS has a travel service contract with a travel agent for all flight bookings, the costs being paid centrally. DIUS staff are expected to use the contract, whenever possible, when booking any travel tickets.

DIUS agency, NWML: Staff who are entitled to business class or first class air travel are permitted to travel in a cheaper class to the destination and do not benefit in monetary terms or kind from the saving. In fact they are ‘expected’ to travel in a cheaper class in all but very exceptional circumstances.

DIUS agency, UK-IPO: All official travel is carried out in accordance with the requirements of the “Civil Service Management Code” and staff handbook.

To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills 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 has participated in the fund, broken down by (a) domestic, (b) short-haul and (c) long-haul flights. (222107)

The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills was created as a result of machinery of government changes in June 2007. The Departments predecessors DfES (Department for Education and Skills, now DCSF) and DTI (Department for Trade and Industry, now BERR) have been participated in the Carbon Offsetting Fund since the 2006/07 financial year and continue to provide this for DIUS. The number of air miles used to calculate the departmental payment for the 2006/07 financial year is contained in their Departments response.

The figures provided to DIUS by DCSF for 2007/08 are currently being cleared for submission within the annual return on Sustainable Development in Government.

The number of air miles used to calculate the departmental payment for the 2007/08 financial year for DIUS provided by BERR was as follows: