The Ministry of Defence has been {accused} of ‘blowing thousands and thousands’ on rent automobiles and taxis final 12 months.
A Freedom of Data (FoI) request revealed the MoD spent £16.6million on rent automobiles for employees within the 12 months to November, up from £12.9million the earlier 12 months.
Spending on taxis and chauffeur-driven automobiles elevated from virtually £583,000 to £967,000.
Different Authorities departments additionally spent enormous quantities on rent automobiles and taxis in 2022.
The Ministry of Defence spent £16.6million on rent automobiles for employees within the 12 months to November
MoD spending was by means of its Phoenix II automobile contract. The FoI reply added that there could have been expenditure exterior of the Phoenix II contract which has not been included within the figures.
John Healey, Labour’s defence spokesman, mentioned: ‘The defence division has blown thousands and thousands extra kilos on taxis this 12 months because it cuts the scale of the Military.’
He added: ‘At a time when many are reducing again, ministers don’t have any grip on the rampant waste of their division.
‘This Conservative Authorities is failing troops and taxpayers.’
An MoD spokesman mentioned: ‘Defence journey has elevated this 12 months with fewer Covid restrictions in place. As a big organisation with distant websites throughout the UK, and bases everywhere in the world, our employees must journey to places that aren’t at all times accessible by public transport and due to this fact a rent automobile or taxi is essentially the most environment friendly and cost-effective approach.’
Different FoI replies present that within the 2021-22 monetary 12 months, the Cupboard Workplace spent £1.62million on rent automobiles and taxis, in contrast with £884,000 in 2020-21.
