Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what professional development courses are made available to staff of his Department; and what the cost to the public purse is of each such course.

The Department makes available to its staff any and all professional development courses from the training market which enable it to ensure that staff have the most relevant knowledge, skills and expertise to do their jobs effectively and so meet the Department's objectives.

It is therefore not possible to provide a complete list of all professional development courses available to staff.

The cost of training is closely monitored to ensure that expenditure is kept within budgetary provisions.

The Department also complies with the appropriate procurement route in order to ensure that professional development training is fit for purpose and offers good value for money.