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Taxpayers Foot the Bill for Unnecessary 'Red Box' Journeys
20 Aug
Summary
- £14,095.02 spent on 83 empty dispatch box journeys in 2024-2025
- Trend could cost £18,000 annually despite pledge to cut government costs
- Criticism of the practice dates back over a decade
According to a recent report, the UK government has been wasting thousands of pounds of taxpayer money on unnecessary 'red dispatch box' movements. Between June 2024 and March 2025, the Cabinet Office made 83 such journeys using the Government Car Service, at a total cost of £14,095.02.
The practice, known as 'dispatch box movements', involves securely transporting government documents between locations, even when no minister is present. Experts estimate that if the trend continues, these empty car rides could end up costing almost £18,000 annually - a significant expense at a time when Chancellor Rachel Reeves has pledged to cut the government's running costs by 15%.
This issue has been criticized by politicians across the political spectrum for over a decade. As far back as 2009, then-opposition leader David Cameron called for an end to the red box car journeys, though the practice continued. In 2011, a record £110,865 was spent on such movements.
Proponents argue that secure document transport is necessary for national security, but critics counter that modern technology should provide safer and more cost-effective solutions. The Cabinet Office maintains that it has reduced the number of journeys in the past year, though the cost per trip has actually increased.
