§ Miss WiddecombeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons are currently employed in the Home Office Press Office and at what grades; what has been the total cost to public funds of the746W recent expansion of the Home Office Press Office following the implementation of the report by Clear Communications; and if he will make a statement. [134973]
§ Mr. Straw[holding answer 26 October 2000]: The total number of people employed in the press office is 27. This is comprised of five Senior Information Officers, 16 Information Officers, an Assistant Information Officer and a Chief Immigration Officer on attachment. In addition, there is an administrative support team of four people comprised of one Higher Executive Officer, one Administrative Officer and two Administrative Assistants.
As I told the House previously, on 2 March 2000,Official Report, column 383W, the estimated cost of extra staff will be up to £400,000 in a full year, to bring total costs to around £1.6 million. This expansion has proved necessary to cope with the widened responsibilities and activities of the Home Office since May 1997 (including the larger programme of constitutional and other reforms) and a significant increase in calls to the press office over the last three years.
In addition there has been a one-off cost of refurbishing the press office and the provision of additional equipment and IT support which will be in the region of £200,000.
As I told the House previously, on 24 July 2000,Official Report, column 746, £82,000 was spent on recruitment advertising and the external consultant's report which recommended that the Press Office be restructured and expanded by between eight and 10 press officers.