Development costs for Government "apps" - including travel advice from the Foreign office and a jobseekers' tool - ranged from £10,000 to £40,000.

The figures were obtained by the BBC under a Freedom of Information request.

The details have emerged after it was announced last month that hundreds of Government websites are to be axed as part of a Cabinet review.

The most expensive application was a proposed Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) app.

Documents seen by the BBC revealed that the DVLA Motoring Masterclass app would also work out fuel mileage, act as a hazard light and track RAC patrols.

A spokesman for the DVLA said £40,000 had been spent on the development of the app so far but it was now on hold as part of a freeze on marketing and advertising spending.

He said: "We want to make it as easy as possible for motorists to renew their car tax, tell us about a change of address or update their driving licence, meaning they stay safe and legal to drive. This would also bring benefits for DVLA, for example by reducing the number of reminders that need to be sent out."

By the end of May there were over 53,000 downloads of the Jobcentre Plus app, according to the BBC.

The BBC said the Home Office declined the FOI request for information on its iPhone apps, saying security concerns "prevent us from supplying information".