HC Deb 24 July 1996 vol 282 cc446-8W
Ms Hodge

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is her Department's budget in 1996–97 for consultants to assist with information, publicity, press and media. [39352]

Mr. Robin Squire

The Department has no budget in 1996–97 for consultants to assist with information, publicity, press and media.

Ms Hodge

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many staff are assumed in her Department's budget employed (i) full time and (ii) part time,(a) to work on press and media and (b) to provide information and publicity in 1996–97. [39340]

Mr. Squire

The number of departmental staff allocated for this purpose in 1996–97 is as follows:

  1. (a) Press and media
    1. (i) Full-time 21
    2. (ii) Part-time 2
  2. (b) Information and publicity
    1. (i) Full-time 46
    2. (ii) Part-time 6

Ms Hodge

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many staff were employed full time or part time(a) to provide information and publicity and (b) on press and media in (i) 1995–96, (ii) 1994–95 and (iii) 1993–94. [39416]

Mr. Squire

The Department for Education and Employment was formed in July 1995, following the merger of the Department for Education and the Employment Department. With regard to information and publicity and press and media work, the merged Department was treated for accounting purposes as separate units throughout 1995–96.

The number of staff employed, full time or part time, in the two former departments was as follows:

Information and publicity Press and media
Department for Education
1993–94 16 11
1994–95 17.5 13
1995–96 16 13
Employment Department
1993–94 37 12.5
1994–95 35 12.5
1995–96 34.5 10

Ms Hodge

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the cost budgeted for staff, employed full time or part time, to provide information and publicity in 1996–97. [39441]

Mr. Squire

The cost budgeted by the Department for staff, full time and part time, to provide information and publicity in 1996–97 is £1,341,000.

Ms Hodge

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what was the cost of staff employed full time or part time (i) to provide information and publicity and (ii) to work on the press and media in(a) 1995–96, (b) 1994–95 and (c) 1993–94. [39435]

Mr. Squire

The Department for Education and Employment was formed in July 1995, following the merger of the Department for Education and the Employment Department. With regard to information and publicity and press and media work, the merged Department was treated for accounting purposes as separate units throughout 1995–96.

The cost of staff employed, full time and part time, in the two former departments is shown in the table.

£thousand
Information and publicity Press and media
Department for Education
1993–94 400 363
1994–95 544 439
1995–96 551 442
Employment Department
1993–94 830 276
1994–95 891 319
1995–96 864 267

Ms Hodge

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the cost, assumed in the budget, of people employed full time or part time to work on the press and the media in 1996–97. [39986]

Mr. Squire

I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested and place a copy of my reply in the Library.