The Scottish Government spent almost £1million on ministerial limousines in the past year.
A total of £929,899 was forked out on ferrying around ministers and senior Government officials, and a further £65,759 on private hire vehicles. Labour's Lord George Foulkes, who requested the information, said it was an "astonishing figure".
The cost of running and maintaining a 25-car fleet, plus staff costs, increased by more than £21,000 compared to the previous period and by more than £58,000 two years ago.
Overall, the combined cost of the Government Car Service and the use of private hire companies resulted in an increase of around £15,000 for the period 2009-10 compared to the previous year.
Lord Foulkes, Lothians MSP, said: "This is an astonishing figure and at this rate it will not be long before the bill just for ministerial limousines is £1million a year. Why do we have to maintain a fleet of 25 cars? And why are Alex Salmond and his ministers always telling us to do our bit and walk or use public transport when they refuse to give up their luxury cars?
Good point but was George really the best man to make it?
"Responding to Lord Foulkes' claims regarding Scottish Government travel costs, the SNP pointed to the £27,576 claimed by Lord Foulkes alone for his taxpayer funded trips to and from London, over £15,000 of which went on flights since his election to the Scottish Parliament in May 2007.Whatabout...whatabout...whatabout...
Lord Foulkes has claimed over £50,000 in Lords expenses in each of the last two years despite being a supposedly full time MSP. SNP MSP Bill Kidd said: "Lord Foulkes is the last person who can or should comment on expenses.
6 comments:
While we're at the whataboutery, has His Lordship enquired as to the cost of the Westminster ministerial fleet.
A staggering 78 special advisers were employed under Gordon Brown, at a total cost of £6.8 million.
so you point is !!!!!!!!!!!!!
My last line is the point here:
"whatabout.." isn't that great a defence and when a party relies on it rather than simply justifying their own actions it makes you wonder what they're hiding.
My comment must not have made it through previously.
It involves Lord Goerge now being an open target for derision amongst the higher echelons of labour. The SNP having reduced the car budget by a million or two since taking office and pointing out the biased reporting yet again in the Scottish unionist media.
I havent blocked any of your comments recently, when did you put it through?
on weekend with others.
It will be my fault.
Post a Comment