Use of official car trips up 'green' Salmond

Published on Thursday 5 June 2008 22:25

ALEX Salmond was criticised by environmental campaigners yesterday for using his ministerial car to travel a couple of hundred yards to dinner, and back again – twice.

The First Minister summoned his ministerial car to take him from his official residence of Bute House in Edinburgh's Charlotte Square to two dinner engagements on George Street.

But instead of signing his car off for the night, the First Minister kept it on call so he could return the short distance back to his official residence after his meals were over.

Papers released under the Freedom of Information Act showed that, on 20 November last year, Mr Salmond took his car from Bute House to the Lloyds TSB headquarters in George Street for dinner, and then back again.

Then, on 8 January this year, Mr Salmond took his car, a hybrid Lexus saloon, round the corner again, this time to the Centotre, a restaurant even closer to Bute House than the bank's headquarters. He took the car back again on that occasion as well.

In total, Scottish ministers and senior officials have made nearly 3,000 journeys in government cars – 500 fewer than the same period last year – averaging 80 a week over this period, while telling members of the public to use their cars less.

However, the disclosure that he took a car for such short journeys will be particularly embarrassing for Mr Salmond given his push to get Scots to leave their cars at home.

Ministers have urged members of the public to take "ten steps to a greener Scotland". One of the steps is to "leave the car at home at least once a week and walk, cycle, share a car or use public transport more often".

Last night, Patrick Harvie, a Green MSP, said: "Since 2003 Labour, Liberal Democrat and SNP ministers alike have had a 'do what I say, not what I do' attitude to transport, with all three parties far keener on cars than they are on trains and buses."

Scots are increasingly commuting to work by public transport, bike, or on foot, and we certainly don't expect the taxpayer to send us a car any more than we do when we go to the movies or out for a meal."

Nanette Milne, for the Scottish Tories, said: "It's official, Alex Salmond talks the talk, but doesn't walk the walk.

"His limo might take him for a ride, it needs to stop taking the Scottish public for a ride."

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said ministers used public transport and walked whenever possible, including the First Minister, who had walked to receptions at Edinburgh Castle on occasions.

She added: "Ministerial car journeys have been running at 500 fewer than under the previous administration.

"Ministerial cars are working offices – they carry official government papers as well as ministers. And for perfectly obvious reasons, it is entirely normal and proper for ministers to attend official engagements by ministerial car."

Trips taken by ministers and officials

TOTAL number of trips by ministers or senior civil servants in official government cars – between 16 May, 2007 and 31 January, 2008.

John Swinney, finance and sustainable development secretary 500

Alex Salmond, First Minister 488

Fiona Hyslop, education and lifelong learning secretary 444

Nicola Sturgeon, health and wellbeing secretary 409

Sir John Elvidge, Scottish Government permanent secretary 318

Kenny MacAskill, justice secretary 271

Richard Lochhead, secretary for rural affairs and the environment 209

Stewart Stevenson, transport, infrastructure and climate change minister200

Other senior officials 78

Total number of trips in ministerial vehicles in the eight months – 2,917.