Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam, Liberal Democrat)

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much her Department spent on first class rail travel for civil servants in each of the last three years; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Knight (Minister of State (the South West), Regional Affairs; South Dorset, Labour)

The Department's expenditure on first class rail travel has only been gathered in the format requested since June 2006. Details for the three-year period from June 2006 is shown in the following table:

The Department's rail travel policy encourages staff to travel using the most cost effective tickets available at the time of booking and staff must consider travelling standard class where possible.

Travel by civil servants is undertaken in accordance with the principles of Managing Public Money and the Treasury handbook on Regularity and Propriety. The Civil Service Management Code sets outs regulations and instructions to Departments and agencies regarding the terms and conditions of service of civil servants and the delegations which have been made by the Minister for the Civil Service under the Civil Service (Management of Functions) Act 1992 together with the conditions attached to those delegations.

The Code can be accessed at:

http://beta.civilservice.uk/about/work/codes/csmc/index.aspx

Paragraph 8.2 of the Code deals with travel and under this section Departments and agencies must ensure that staff use the most efficient and economic means of travel in the circumstances, taking into account any management benefit or the needs of staff with disabilities.