HC Deb 19 April 2002 vol 383 cc1198-9W
Mr. Burns

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many press officers there were in her Department on(a) 1 May 1997 and (b) the latest available date. [46881]

Mr. Ivan Lewis

[holding reply 10 April]: The average number of staff within the Department for Education and Employment/Department for Education and Skills Press Office for 1997 and 2002 are:

Year Press Office Total
1997–1998 20.5
2001–2002* 23.0

*Excludes five members of staff transferred to the Department for Work and Pensions as part of the Machinery of Government changes following the general election.