A “complete reassessment” of the use of government vehicles will take place.

Lieutenant-Colonel David Burch told Parliament that the proliferation of government vehicles had been a source of “significant irritation”.

He said: “I noted in the last couple of years that GP plates had sort of vanished and you now have ‘M’ plates. I thought, ‘Well, that’s a trick shot to try to camouflage the number of GP vehicles’.”

Colonel Burch had previously said the number of government vehicles in use could be gauged using the number on the licence plate.

Colonel Burch raised the subject during debate on the parks department budget last Friday.

He added: “We have just concluded and had the approval of Cabinet, and there will be a public announcement shortly about new space standards in government, and accommodation for civil servants.

“The next item on the agenda is vehicles.”

“So after you hear the squealing about space standards, then you’re going to hear the squealing about vehicles.”