Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what total amount her Department spent on ministerial travel by (a) the Government Car and Despatch Agency and (b) other car hire in (i) 2007-08, (ii) 2008-09 and (iii) 2009-10.

(a) This information has already been published and can be found at:

(i) http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm080722/wmstext/80722m0008.htm

(ii) http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmhansrd/cm090716/wmstext/90716m0009.htm

(iii) http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm101028/wmstext/101028m0001.htm#10102827000372

(b) Due to the way payments are recorded on Core Defra’s finance system, it is not possible to distinguish the costs of Ministerial car hire from the costs of cars hired by civil servants. Such a breakdown could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

The table below therefore lists the value of all Departmental payments in respect of non-GCDA car hire in financial years 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10.