Travel Costs
Education and Skills
Mr Andrew Selous (Assistant Chief Whip, Whips; South West Bedfordshire, Conservative)
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the total travel costs to his Department have been for (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) officials for each year since 1997.
Mr Stephen Twigg (Minister of State (School Standards), Department for Education and Skills; Enfield, Southgate, Labour)
holding answer
Since 1999, the Government publishes, on an annual basis, the total costs of all ministerial overseas travel and a list of all visits by Cabinet Ministers costing in excess of £500. Copies of the lists are available in the Library of the House. Details on the cost of Ministers' domestic travel are not held centrally and can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
According to our records a special adviser accompanied the Secretary of State on the following overseas visits:
| Number of overseas visits | Average cost for special adviser per visit (£) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 4 | 381 |
| 1998 | 4 | 766 |
| 1999 | 0 | — |
| 2000 | 0 | — |
| 2001 | 0 | — |
| 2002 | 2 | 883 |
| 2003 | 2 | 446 |
Details on the cost of special advisers' domestic travel are not held centrally and can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
Information on travel costs for officials is not held centrally and can only be obtained at disproportionate costs.
All travel is undertaken in accordance with the guidelines set out in the Ministerial Code and the Civil Service Management Code.