MINISTERS are banning civil service away days and merchandise after taxpayers’ cash was blown on escape rooms and fancy mugs. 

It is all part of a huge crackdown on wasteful spending across Whitehall departments.

Examples include £967 on purple thermos cups for Visas and Immigration and £548 on “corporate coloured” mugs for HM Passport Office Belfast in 2022.

The Government Property Agency, which manages offices and warehouses, spent £1,450 on 500 fidget cubes three years ago.

And the Public Sector Fraud Authority paid £1,705 for 500 branded notebooks.

Home Office staff spent £810 on a team-building exercise at an escape room in Kent.

The Department for Education spent £2,209 on branded pens and notebooks while the Environment Department spent £812 on branded stationery for a workshop.

Pat McFadden, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, blasted the “wasteful” spending and vowed to redirect cash to frontline services.

He said: “By cutting wasteful spending we can target resources at frontline public services with more teachers, extra hospital appointments and police back on the beat.

“We will use taxpayers’ money to deliver our Plan for Change, kick-starting economic growth, rebuilding the NHS and strengthening our borders.”

Mandarins will be told they now have to hold training and away days in government buildings instead of hiring external venues.

Outside hire will only be allowed when space in government buildings is unavailable. 

They also face stricter rules on what branded products and merchandise is allowed.

It will only be allowed for things deemed “essential” for promotion like overseas trade and diplomacy.

Labour is trying to drastically reduce the 20,000 government credit cards believed to be in circulation. 

Last month, all departments were instructed to freeze cards and those holding them have to reapply under tighter guidelines.