Asked by: Teresa Pearce (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) permanent and (b) reservist members of the armed forces have been issued with the HM Armed Forces Railcard since that scheme was introduced.
Answered by Anna Soubry
A breakdown of HM Forces Railcards issued to Regular and Reserve members of the Armed Forces could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
However, between 1 January 2009 and 10 March 2015, a total of 384,391 Railcards were sold to Armed Forces personnel and eligible dependants.
The scheme was extended to include Reservists from 1 July 2014.
Data is not held prior to 1 January 2009. The total figure includes first purchases and renewals
Asked by: Teresa Pearce (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many HM Armed Forces Railcards have been issued in each year since that scheme was introduced.
Answered by Anna Soubry
Data prior to 1 January 2009 is not held. The number of HM Forces Railcards sold to Armed Forces personnel and eligible dependants in each year from 2009 can be found in the table below:
Calendar Year | Sales |
2009 | 32,690 |
2010 | 52,230 |
2011 | 66,610 |
2012 | 73,125 |
2013 | 71,763 |
2014 | 77,573 |
2015 | 10,400 |
Total | 384,391 |
Notes:
Asked by: Teresa Pearce (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department has spent on the HM Armed Forces Railcard in each year since that scheme was introduced.
Answered by Anna Soubry
The HM Forces Railcard scheme is essentially self-funding, with no direct cost to the public purse. The Association of Train Operating Companies is reimbursed quarterly for railcards received by the Ministry of Defence, and the cost is recovered from individuals when the railcards are sold
Asked by: Teresa Pearce (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the (a) annual and (b) total cost has been of the contract between his Department and ATOC Ltd for the HM Armed Forces Railcard; and when this contract will expire.
Answered by Anna Soubry
The HM Forces Railcard scheme is essentially self-funding, with no direct cost to the public purse. The contract, which was set up in March 1999, is an open-ended enabling arrangement.