In this section
- Section Home
- News Archive

RSS Feeds

- News RSS

Government and civil servants sleep tight with taxpayers’ cash

As hard-pressed taxpayers are forced to curb their spending due to the current financial climate, staff working for Government departments and agencies have racked up the equivalent of nearly one million nights in hotels.

Parliamentary questions uncovered by the Conservatives show that the bill for these hotel and overnight stays cost the taxpayer nearly £43 million in a 12-month period between 2007 and 2008.

The biggest spender was the Ministry of Defence (£15 million) with the Department for Work and Pensions and the Home Office also racking up bills worth millions. Even relatively small departments and agencies, such as the Government Equalities Department and Highways Agency billed thousands of pounds following stays at hotels.

The huge £43 million bill equates to:

·      860,000 nights or 2356 years spent at a typical Premier Inn hotel

·      205,020 nights or 561 years spent at the five-star rated Grosvenor House Marriot hotel

Commenting on the figures, Shadow Treasury Minister Mark Hoban said:

“At a time when hard-pressed taxpayers are tightening their belts and forgoing luxuries, it is outrageous that Government departments and agencies are spending millions on hotel stays.

“Of course, there are times when staff need to stay away from home but Government departments and agencies must make sure that any overnight stays are organised because they represent the cheapest solution when staff are travelling on business and not jollies paid for by the taxpayer”. 

17th November 2008