§ Mr. Brothertonasked the Prime Minister, in view of the fact that the average number of staff employed in the 10 Downing Street Press Office increased from eight in 1975–76 to nine in 1976–77, what explanation he can give for the increase in salary costs over that period from £59,000 to £73,000.
§ The Prime MinisterAbout half the estimated increase is because a more senior and a more junior officer were replaced by three officers in intermediate grades. The rest is accounted for by some temporary double banking of officers at the time of the change of administration; by pay increases paid as permitted by year 1 of the Counter Inflation policy; and by increases in employers' national insurance contributions.