To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport with reference to the answer of 12 May 2009, Official Report, column 645W, on departmental rail travel, whether (a) his Department's travel policy and (b) the travel policy of his Department's agencies allows staff to make claims from the public purse for travel in first class rail carriages in circumstances on which there are no seats in standard class available. (305148)

The travel policies of the central Department and of its agencies allow claims for first class travel in circumstances on which standard class seats are unavailable.