No defence? MoD blows £16 million on hire cars and taxis in a year as it cuts the size of the army 

The Ministry of Defence has been accused of ‘blowing millions’ on hire cars and taxis last year.

A Freedom of Information (FoI) request revealed the MoD spent £16.6million on hire cars for staff in the year to November, up from £12.9million the previous year.

Spending on taxis and chauffeur-driven cars increased from almost £583,000 to £967,000.

Other Government departments also spent huge amounts on hire cars and taxis in 2022.

The Ministry of Defence spent £16.6million on hire cars for staff in the year to November

MoD spending was through its Phoenix II vehicle contract. The FoI reply added that there may have been expenditure outside of the Phoenix II contract which has not been included in the figures.

John Healey, Labour’s defence spokesman, said: ‘The defence department has blown millions more pounds on taxis this year as it cuts the size of the Army.’

He added: ‘At a time when many are cutting back, ministers have no grip on the rampant waste in their department.

‘This Conservative Government is failing troops and taxpayers.’

An MoD spokesman said: ‘Defence travel has increased this year with fewer Covid restrictions in place. As a large organisation with remote sites across the UK, and bases all over the world, our staff have to travel to locations that are not always accessible by public transport and therefore a hire car or taxi is the most efficient and cost-effective way.’

Other FoI replies show that in the 2021-22 financial year, the Cabinet Office spent £1.62million on hire cars and taxis, compared with £884,000 in 2020-21.