To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the cost of refurbishing each ministerial private office was in the last two years.

The cost of works in 2002–03 to restore four ministerial suites, the offices of the Permanent Secretary and two Special Advisers and associated private office areas (including those for the ministerial support unit and the parliamentary branch) was £145,660 plus fees plus VAT. This work was undertaken as part of a consolidation package to co-locate Ministers and DfT staff in the same building and has resulted in an annual saving of some £220,000 in accommodation costs to the Department.