Asked by: Lucy Powell (Labour (Co-op) - Manchester Central)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department has spent on (a) taxis, (b) first class train tickets and (c) business class air travel in each of the last five years.
Answered by Anna Soubry
Ministry of Defence expenditure on taxis, first class train tickets and business class air travel in each of the past five years has been as follows:
Category | Expenditure 2009-10 (£) | 2010-11 (£) | 2011-12 (£) | 2012-13 (£) | 2013-14 (£) |
(a) Taxis Note (1) | £1,082,769 | £786,094 | £695,565 | £693,598 | £705,425 |
(b) First Class Rail Tickets Note (2) | £5,613,977 | £228,714 | £89,860 | £49,094 | £70,437 |
(c) Business Class Air Travel Note (3) | £14,164,557 | £7,402,445 | £8,471,983 | £7,373,300 | £7,899,821 |
Notes:
(1) This expenditure represents the reimbursement of taxi fares to Service personnel. Expenditure on taxi fares by civilian staff is not recorded discretely, but is subsumed in a public transport audit and reporting category that also includes expenditure on bus and underground travel. MOD may use a taxi for official duty when there is a business benefit to the Department or when it saves money. A taxi is typically used where no other suitable form of public transport is available or where heavy baggage or equipment has to be carried.
(2) First-class rail travel is currently authorised only exceptionally (for example, for medical reasons or for solo-occupancy sleeper travel)
(3) Overseas travel in other than economy class is permitted only where both the flight duration is over 4 hours and there is a business case to demonstrate that the circumstances warrant it (for example, where significant business has to be done on arrival following an overnight flight).
We are, under our transformational programmes, encouraging and facilitating the adoption of working practices that minimise the need to travel (such as audio and video conferencing). Those staff who need to travel must do so in a way that is the most economical in both cost and official time.
Asked by: Lucy Powell (Labour (Co-op) - Manchester Central)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Prime Minister's speech of 15 August 2011 calling for a family test to be applied to all domestic policy, which policies of his Department have been so assessed to date.
Answered by Anna Soubry
On 18 August 2014 the Prime Minister announced that the family test was being formalised as part of the impact assessment for all domestic policies. From October 2014, every new domestic policy will be examined for its impact on the family.
Asked by: Lucy Powell (Labour (Co-op) - Manchester Central)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many jobs have been transferred from the public to the private sector as a result of privatisations or outsourcing by his Department since May 2010.
Answered by Philip Dunne
Transfer of work from the public to the private sector continues to be considered, among other options, as a way to deliver the savings set out at the Spending Review and to increase the efficiency of Government. The Department ensures that the staff involved in such transfers are treated fairly and consistently and that their terms and conditions are protected through Transfer of Undertakings (TUPE) arrangements.
A full breakdown of civilian outflow from the MOD, including through privatisation of function, is provided in the MOD Quarterly Civilian Personnel Reports. The latest version (as at 1 January 2014, published on 6 February 2014) can be found at the following address: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/284487/civilian-personnel-report-1_january_2014.pdf
Asked by: Lucy Powell (Labour (Co-op) - Manchester Central)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of employees in his Department of each (a) Civil Service pay grade and (b) gender work (i) reduced hours, (ii) flexi-time, (iii) from home, (iv) a compressed working week, (v) job share, (vi) term-time only and (vii) part-time.
Answered by Philip Dunne
This information is not available in the format requested as flexible working patterns are agreed at a local level.