Post by Teddy Bear on Sept 4, 2008 0:16:12 GMT
BBC spends £3million a year on luxury air travel
The BBC spent more than £3 million on business or first class flights last year an increase of more than a quarter on the previous year, figures released today disclose.
By Ben Farmer
Last Updated: 10:34AM BST 03 Sep 2008
The details released under the Freedom of Information Act show the broadcaster spent £10m on flights altogether and spent another £5m on rail travel.
Under the broadcaster's travel guidelines, employees are told they should use the lowest cost means of transport and use audio or video conferences instead of face to face meetings where possible.
Travelling any class other economy is only allowed under "exceptional circumstances" for journeys over four hours long, but the figures show the BBC spent £2,999,861 on business class flights and £85,362 on first class in the most recent financial year.
Norman Baker, the Liberal Democrat Shadow transport secretary who obtained the figures, said: "At a time when the BBC should be doing all it can to make sure it gives good value to licence fee payers, it is staggering to find that it has spent £10m on flights in the last year, let alone £3m on business or first class.
"The BBC's own guidelines say that flying business class should only happen in 'exceptional circumstances'. It is hard to believe that there can be £3m worth of exceptional circumstances in a single year.
"Licence fee payers have a right to assume their money is not being splashed around frivolously. BBC bosses must make sure that, where possible, their staff use trains rather than planes and that when they must fly, they get the best value for money possible."
Matthew Sinclair, Policy Analyst at the TaxPayers' Alliance, added: "The BBC keep telling us that they're working on too tight a budget, that the licence fee needs to go up or services will be cut, but they are behaving like they have money to burn. Their own guidelines, that luxury flights should only be taken in exceptional circumstances, are clearly being ignored. The licence fee is a huge burden on ordinary families, particularly those on low incomes, and isn't supposed to be spent on expensive flights for BBC staff."
In July, figures showed the BBC’s taxi bill rose to £13.8m in the latest financial year up from £13m the previous year.
The total amount spent on all flights, including economy class tickets, fell from £10.8 million in 2006/2007 to £10.4 million last year.
A BBC spokeswoman: “We reject these claims completely. Spend on flights is subject to rigorous scrutiny and has actually fallen significantly in the last year reflecting our commitment to value for money.
“As an international broadcaster, viewers expect us to report stories and bring them programmes from around the world which inevitably involves travel.
“It is important to make clear this information includes flights by BBC Worldwide, so it is completely misleading to suggest this is all money from the licence fee.
The BBC spent more than £3 million on business or first class flights last year an increase of more than a quarter on the previous year, figures released today disclose.
By Ben Farmer
Last Updated: 10:34AM BST 03 Sep 2008
The details released under the Freedom of Information Act show the broadcaster spent £10m on flights altogether and spent another £5m on rail travel.
Under the broadcaster's travel guidelines, employees are told they should use the lowest cost means of transport and use audio or video conferences instead of face to face meetings where possible.
Travelling any class other economy is only allowed under "exceptional circumstances" for journeys over four hours long, but the figures show the BBC spent £2,999,861 on business class flights and £85,362 on first class in the most recent financial year.
Norman Baker, the Liberal Democrat Shadow transport secretary who obtained the figures, said: "At a time when the BBC should be doing all it can to make sure it gives good value to licence fee payers, it is staggering to find that it has spent £10m on flights in the last year, let alone £3m on business or first class.
"The BBC's own guidelines say that flying business class should only happen in 'exceptional circumstances'. It is hard to believe that there can be £3m worth of exceptional circumstances in a single year.
"Licence fee payers have a right to assume their money is not being splashed around frivolously. BBC bosses must make sure that, where possible, their staff use trains rather than planes and that when they must fly, they get the best value for money possible."
Matthew Sinclair, Policy Analyst at the TaxPayers' Alliance, added: "The BBC keep telling us that they're working on too tight a budget, that the licence fee needs to go up or services will be cut, but they are behaving like they have money to burn. Their own guidelines, that luxury flights should only be taken in exceptional circumstances, are clearly being ignored. The licence fee is a huge burden on ordinary families, particularly those on low incomes, and isn't supposed to be spent on expensive flights for BBC staff."
In July, figures showed the BBC’s taxi bill rose to £13.8m in the latest financial year up from £13m the previous year.
The total amount spent on all flights, including economy class tickets, fell from £10.8 million in 2006/2007 to £10.4 million last year.
A BBC spokeswoman: “We reject these claims completely. Spend on flights is subject to rigorous scrutiny and has actually fallen significantly in the last year reflecting our commitment to value for money.
“As an international broadcaster, viewers expect us to report stories and bring them programmes from around the world which inevitably involves travel.
“It is important to make clear this information includes flights by BBC Worldwide, so it is completely misleading to suggest this is all money from the licence fee.