PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Ministry of Defence: Travel (6 December 2016)

Ministry of Defence (MOD) expenditure, by financial year (FY), on non-standard class rail and air travel, in each of the last five years, is in the table below.

Non-standard class travel expenditure (£million)

Travel by MOD staff makes a key contribution to achieving defence objectives. The MOD has sites in many parts of the country and internationally, and staff need to travel between them to conduct business.

Non-standard class travel is subject to a rigorous approvals process. It is only authorised exceptionally, for example, where there are medical reasons or where significant business has to be undertaken following an overnight flight. All staff incurring business expenses of any kind must demonstrate the highest standards of financial propriety, ensuring that any travel is undertaken in the most economical way possible, taking into account both cost and officials’ time.

Expenditure on non-standard class travel is reducing, as is overall MOD travel spend. We have achieved savings of around £60 million a year in non-operational travel since 2009-10 and plan to make further savings over the rest of this Parliament. This will be delivered in a number of ways, including by making greater use of video and audio conferencing.