Ministers in hot water over car use
By politics.co.uk staff
Two ministers have found themselves in hot water after media reports indicated they were using chauffeurs for unnecessary trips.
Environment minister Caroline Spelman was reported by the Daily Mail to have used a ministerial car for a 500-yard journey after playing tennis on a private court with some parliamentary colleagues.
Meanwhile, veterans minister Andrew Robathan was said by the newspaper to have used an official car to attend a Dunkirk anniversary ceremony.
The reports come after promises from the Treasury that ministerial cars would be pooled if possible, and that ministers would have to walk more often in a bid to cost costs.
A Tory spokesperson told the Sunday Mirror that Ms Spelman was very conscious of the ministerial car issue.
“The red ministerial boxes she has can be too heavy for her to carry to work,” they said.
“She does her level best to share cars with other ministers whenever possible.”
Mr Robathan branded his trip to France in the car as “cost effective”.
The MoD said the trip cost less than £5,000, including a modest hotel.
“The Eurostar would have been faster and more comfortable but was ruled out by the minister because it would have been more costly,” a spokesperson told the Mail.
Mr Robathan said: “I wonder if the British people and those involved at Dunkirk 70 years ago really believe we shouldn’t have gone in the appropriate and inexpensive way we did.”
