§ Mrs. BeckettTo ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 23 November, how many staff were employed in each Minister's private office; what were the salary costs of each office, in each year since 1979 at present prices; and if he will list the number of people employed, and their salary costs. in the press office in each year since 1979. [4060]
§ Mr. Lang[holding answer 5 December 1995]: Below are details of the number of staff employed in Minister's private offices—figures for the former Department of Energy are not available prior to I April 1985. Disaggregated salary costs are not available prior to 1994–95. The total salary costs in 1994–95 were £952,000.
Staff in post 1 April 1980 Department of Industry Secretary of State 12 Minister of State 5 Minister of State 4 Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State 5 Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State 6 Department of Trade Secretary of State 11 Minister of State 5 Minister of State 5 Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State 5 Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State 4
Staff in post 1 April 1981 Department of Industry Secretary of State 12 Minister of State 5 Minister of State 5 Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State 4 Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State 5 Department of Trade Secretary of State 8 Minister of State 5 Minister of State 4 Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State 5 Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State 4
285W
Staff in post 1 April 1982 Department of Industry Secretary of State 12 Minister of State 5 Minister of State 5 Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State 5 Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State 5 Department of Trade Secretary of State 8 Minister of State 5 Minister of State 5 Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State 4
Department of Industry Staff in Post 1 April 1983 Secretary of State 13 Minister of State 5 Minister of State 5 Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State 5 Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State 5 Department of Trade Secretary of State 7 Minister of State 5 Minister of State 4 Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State 5
286W
Department of Trade and Industry Staff in post 1 April 1984 Secretary of State 13 Minister of State 6 Minister of State 5 Minister of State 5 Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State 5 Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State 6 Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State 5 1 April 1985 Secretary of State 13 Minister of State 6 Minister of State 5 Minister of State 5 Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State 5 Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State 5 Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State 5 Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State 5 Department of Energy 135 1 April 1986 Secretary of State 15.5 Minister of State 6 Minister of State 5 Minister of State 6 Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State 6 Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State 5 Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State 5 Department of Energy 141 1 April 1987 Secretary of State 17.5 Minister of State 6 Minister of State 4 Minister of State 5 Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State 6 Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State 5 Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State 5 Department of Energy 136.5 1 April 1988 Secretary of State 12 Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 11 Minister of State 6 Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State 6 Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State 5 Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State 6 Department of Energy 138 Secretary of State 12 Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 9 Minister of State 5 Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State 7 Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State 7 Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State 5 Department of Energy 139.5
Department of Trade and Industry Staff in post 1 April 1990 Secretary of State 13 Minister of State 6 Minister of State 6 Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State 7 Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State 6 Department of Energy 129 1 April 1991 Secretary of State 14 Minister of State 6 Minister of State 6 Minister of State 6 Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State 6 Department of Energy 127 1 April 1992 Secretary of State 13 Minister of State 6 Minister of State 6 Minister of State 6 Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State 6 Department of Energy 126 1 April 1993 President of the Board of Trade 14 Minister of State 7 Minister of State 5 Minister of State 7 Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State 5 Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State 6 Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State 7 1 April 1994 President of the Board of Trade 13 Minister of State 8 Minister of State 5 Minister of State 6 Minister of State 7 Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State 7 Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State 5.5 1 April 1995 President of the Board of Trade l5 Minister of State 7 Minister of State 7 Minister of State 6 Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State 6 Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State 6 Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State 6 1Disaggregated information is not available for the Department of Energy which merged with the Department of Trade and Industry in April 1992. For information on the Department's press office I refer the hon. Member to a previous answer to the hon. Member for Truro (Mr. Taylor) on 17 September 1993, Official Report, column 988. The total number of staff employed on 1 April 1995 was 30.
The estimated current annual salary cost of the press office is £777,000. Comparable figures for previous years could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.