asked the Minister for Defence the basis on which petrol expenses are given to members of the Civil Defence forces; the amount paid to them in 1981 under this heading; and the way in which expenses are claimed and paid out.
Written Answers. - Civil Defence Petrol Expenses.
589.
Petrol expenses as such are not paid to Civil Defence volunteers but they are paid travelling expenses, when Civil defence transport is not provided for them as follows:—
Volunteer instructors who are permitted to use their cars on Civil Defence business carried out at the request of the local authority may be paid travelling expenses including mileage allowance at the rates and subject to the conditions laid down in the Department of Environment regulations.
Volunteers other than instructors are paid travelling expenses, at a rate equivalent to the cost of public transport or at a rate of £0.18 per mile if public transport is not available.
Records are not kept separately by the Department of Defence of payments of such travelling expenses as these in many instances are bulked with subsistence allowances in the normal annual returns made by the local authorities to the Department. Accordingly, it is not possible to state the amount paid in respect of travelling expenses for any particular year.
Authority to pay these expenses direct to the members is exercised by the local authorities against individual claims which are normally channelled through, and verified by, the local Civil Defence officer or his assistant. The local authorities recoup 70 per cent of the outlay on these expenses from the Department when the annual grant-aid is being paid to them.