§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for Trade how many members of his Department, of whatever grade or specialisation, are engaged whole or part-time in public and press relations, expressing the total in whole-time equivalents; and what is their total annual cost to public funds.
§ Mr. EyreOn 1 November there were 15 information officer group staff in my Department's press office and there were 23W 11 other staff attached in support of them. The annual cost of their pay and employer's national insurance contribution is £189,000 for the information officer group staff and £59,000 for the support staff.