HC Deb 06 December 2001 vol 376 cc473-4W
Annabelle Ewing

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many(a) special advisers and (b) press officers were employed (i) full time, (ii) part time and (iii) on a contract basis by her Department in each year since 1992.[6921]

Mrs. Liddell

In the former Scottish Office there were two full-time special advisers in post as any one time in the financial years 1992–93 to 1997–98 and three in 1998–99. The number of press officers employed was as follows:

Year Number
1992–93 29
1993–94 28.5
1994–95 29.5
1995–96 28.5
1996–97 29.5
1997–98 30
1998–99 33

The Scotland Office was established in its present form on 1 July 1999. In 1999–2000 and 2000–01, there were three special advisers in post at any one time (one unpaid). The Department currently has two special advisers. Since 1 July 1999, the Department has had four press officers.