HC Deb 30 April 1973 vol 855 cc792-3
21. Mr. Fowler

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what is the total of Press and information officers now employed by Government Departments; and whether he will make a statement.

Mr. Kenneth Baker

The total number of staff at all levels in departmental information branches was 1,109 on 1st April 1973.

Mr. Fowler

I thank my hon. Friend for that reply, which I was not expecting. Is not one of the extraordinary features of the number of information officers now employed by Government Departments their distribution between Departments? Can my hon. Friend explain why at the last count the Department of Defence needed 10 times more information staff than the Home Office, and the Department of the Environment needed five times more information staff than the Treasury? Are not these extraordinary discrepancies?

Mr. Baker

Whether or not they are extraordinary, they are not a matter for me. If my hon. Friend wishes to persuade my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary to have more information staff, it is for the Home Secretary to decide. I am concerned with only one direct area of Government information, namely, the Central Office of Information.

Mr. Kaufman

Is it true, as indicated in an informed Press article last week, that one of the duties of the Prime Minister's Chief Press Secretary is to organise a roster of Cabinet Ministers to make party political speeches defending the Government? Is that a suitable function for a civil servant?

Mr. Baker

The hon. Gentleman must not draw upon his memory. I am responsible only for the Central Office of Information. We in the Central Office of Information are not concerned with putting out what may be described as party policy; we are concerned with putting over Government information services. Since 1970 we have reduced the staff of the COI by over 200.

Mr. John Grant

Do the figures the Minister has just given include those who have been seconded by the Conservative Central Office to work in Government Departments to maintain links between the Conservative Party and the Government—such as Mr. Cope, at the Department of Trade and Industry?

Mr. Baker

These figures do not include those people. There are literally only two or three of them. If the hon. Gentleman wants to put down Questions about those people I shall be very pleased to answer them.