Britain has a political chief who actually walks the talk after official figures revealed he travelled to more ministerial engagements on foot and bicycle than in his chauffeur-driven limo.
Records released under a Freedom of Information Act request showed that Energy and Climate Change Minister Lord Hunt walked to 24 official events and cycled to a further three.
In the seven months up to May this year, Gordon Brown's green envoy used his ministerial car on 26 occasions to travel to meetings in Oxford and on the outskirts of London.
Lord Hunt, who is also deputy leader of the House of Lords, cycled more than 30 miles across his hometown of Birmingham to attend ministerial appointments at the city's university, a power plant and Fort Dunlop.
Campaign groups have welcomed the 60-year-old peer's preferred choice of travel.
Mark Wallace, Campaign Director for the Taxpayers' Alliance, said: “This is a move in the right direction by Lord Hunt. As well as sticking to his principles, he has saved taxpayers a large amount of money.
“It is about time more of his colleagues walked or cycled instead of using chauffeur-driven cars around Whitehall.”
And Richard Hepbditch of the Campaign for Better Transport, added: “It's really good to see Lord Hunt using alternative means of travel, it shows the Government ministers are realising they have a responsibility to lead by example.
“Obviously there are security concerns for walking to work for some politicians but it is good to see them setting an example for the public to follow.
“We would like to see more Government departments committing further to using low carbon methods of transport.”
Lord Hunt also travelled on Government business to Brazil, Italy, Norway and the Orkneys, which was offset through the Government's Carbon Offsetting Fund.
In total, the energy minister's travels generated the equivalent of 8.15 tons of carbon emissions.
Before entering politics Lord Hunt was a senior NHS official, working for the National Association of Health Authorities and Trusts prior to becoming Chief Executive of the NHS Confederation in 1996.
He was also a member of Birmingham City Council from 1980 to 1982.
In 1997 Tony Blair made him a peer, as Baron Hunt of Kings Heath. In 1998 he became a Government whip and in 1999 he joined the Department of Health as a Minister.
His political career stalled in 2003 when he quit the Government in protest at the Iraq war. But in 2005 he was back, first as a Minister for Work and Pensions and then returning to Health.
Lord Hunt is a Birmingham City supporter who lists his other hobbies as cycling, swimming and music.
The married father of five was president of the Family Planning Association between 1997 and 1998, and co-chair of the Association for Public Health from 1994 to 1998.
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