Chauffeur driven Red Boxes.
Discussion
Caught this on HIGNFY last night.
Seriously though I know cuts need to be made but I'm not sure I really like the idea of UK ministers of state shuffling around in second class rail carriages.
They should have a chauffeur driven Jag and any security needed following in a black Range Rover. I know there is a cost but at lease they should be promoting British built cars. We need some sense of pride and not pander to the green hair-shirt brigade.
London Evening Standard said:
Ministers are to be forced to carry their "red boxes" on public transport as part of a crackdown on chauffeur-driven cars, it emerged today.
But security concerns mean ministers will not usually be allowed to read the confidential contents of their boxes while travelling second class on trains.
The latest twist in the policy of cutting the cost of ministerial cars came as Downing Street denied claims that cars were being used to transport the red boxes separately.
The £10million-a-year government car service is being slashed by the Lib-Cons under a shake-up of perks and travel. Most ministers will no longer have their own dedicated car around the clock and will have to dip into a pool of cars.
One minister claimed today that for security reasons his red box was being sent to his constituency by car, while he travelled by public transport. The minister asked his private office if he could accompany it to do some work, only to be told that this was not allowed.
A Downing Street spokesman rejected the claims. Ministers will not have to carry red boxes on the Tube, which is deemed too crowded for the safe carriage of confidential papers, sources say.
Could they not just handcuff the red boxes to the minister's wrists.But security concerns mean ministers will not usually be allowed to read the confidential contents of their boxes while travelling second class on trains.
The latest twist in the policy of cutting the cost of ministerial cars came as Downing Street denied claims that cars were being used to transport the red boxes separately.
The £10million-a-year government car service is being slashed by the Lib-Cons under a shake-up of perks and travel. Most ministers will no longer have their own dedicated car around the clock and will have to dip into a pool of cars.
One minister claimed today that for security reasons his red box was being sent to his constituency by car, while he travelled by public transport. The minister asked his private office if he could accompany it to do some work, only to be told that this was not allowed.
A Downing Street spokesman rejected the claims. Ministers will not have to carry red boxes on the Tube, which is deemed too crowded for the safe carriage of confidential papers, sources say.
Seriously though I know cuts need to be made but I'm not sure I really like the idea of UK ministers of state shuffling around in second class rail carriages.
They should have a chauffeur driven Jag and any security needed following in a black Range Rover. I know there is a cost but at lease they should be promoting British built cars. We need some sense of pride and not pander to the green hair-shirt brigade.
It's nonsense. I dont want our elected representatives and particularly cabinet ministers bumming it on Pubic transport. It is all for PR and will be fine til some scrote lamps one of them in the chops!
Having said that, at least then it will highlight the crapness of Pubic Transport and mean they may not all jump on the bandwagon abotu how great it is.
Having said that, at least then it will highlight the crapness of Pubic Transport and mean they may not all jump on the bandwagon abotu how great it is.
Can't they use security companies. i.e. courier bikes with locked cases, vans even. If they have a ministerial car that they have for good reason and it's all paid for then use it by all means.
Besides, presumably not ALL red boxes have info in them that actually matters, only when there is sensitive info on them do they actually need to securely transport them.
Besides, presumably not ALL red boxes have info in them that actually matters, only when there is sensitive info on them do they actually need to securely transport them.
The majority live within a 5-10 minute walk of the POW, if they cant walk to work without an armed escort, then neither can I and they should f
king well do something about crime 
I think this is a good idea from Nick C / CMD, it may not save much, but it sure as hell shows that they are at least trying
king well do something about crime I think this is a good idea from Nick C / CMD, it may not save much, but it sure as hell shows that they are at least trying
How much paperwork do ministers really need to print and carry with them? Surely most government buildings will have secure log-on to IT systems to allow ministers to review documents at their destination. Plus they all have laptops so can do the same from home. Why are Red Boxes still needed?
ewenm said:
How much paperwork do ministers really need to print and carry with them? Surely most government buildings will have secure log-on to IT systems to allow ministers to review documents at their destination. Plus they all have laptops so can do the same from home. Why are Red Boxes still needed?
packed lunchMany people still prefer to read written documentation, make annotations etc. This is often preferable to using a machine for a number of reasons. However those more tech savvy/happy should be able to do what they can electronically if so desired.
Or maybe we should give them all iPads
Or maybe we should give them all iPads
Dracoro said:
Or maybe we should give them all iPads
The European Parliament are, surely they deserve one too!http://www.cnbc.com/id/37330911/
Gareth79 said:
Dracoro said:
Or maybe we should give them all iPads
The European Parliament are, surely they deserve one too!http://www.cnbc.com/id/37330911/
Gareth79 said:
Dracoro said:
Or maybe we should give them all iPads
The European Parliament are, surely they deserve one too!http://www.cnbc.com/id/37330911/
Champaign Socialists said:
"We could get rid of our old PCs, some of which have outdated software such as Microsoft Word 2003,” the source told the Times. “The majority of MEPs have already got iPhones and they are very happy with them. The PC was good for its time but the iPad is a much better device.”
The whole point of the Minister's Box with printed papers is that the Minister can start to look at the papers as they travel. Everything in the Box will have been sent to the Minister's Private Office by email. If they cant look at things until they get home, they might just as well have everything emailed home.
Randy Winkman said:
The whole point of the Minister's Box with printed papers is that the Minister can start to look at the papers as they travel. Everything in the Box will have been sent to the Minister's Private Office by email. If they cant look at things until they get home, they might just as well have everything emailed home.
Or use a blackberry like every other person on the planet!Gassing Station | News, Politics & Economics | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff