HL Deb 22 November 1979 vol 403 cc319-20WA
Lord MURRAY of GRAVESEND

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many Press officers are now employed and how many were employed on 1st May 1979 in—

  1. (a) Ministry of Defence;
  2. (b) the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food;
  3. (c) the Department of Education and Science;
  4. (d) the Department of Employment;
  5. (e) the Foreign and Commonwealth Office;
  6. (f) the Department of Health and Social Security;
  7. (g) the Department of the Environment;
  8. (h) the Home Office;
  9. (i) the Department of Trade;
  10. (j) the Department of Prices and Consumer Protection;
  11. (k) the Civil Service Department, and
  12. (l) the Prime Minister's Office.

The LORD PRESIDENT of the COUNCIL (Lord Soames)

The table below shows the number of staff in post in the Information Officer Group on 1st May 1979 and on 1st July 1979, the latest date for which figures are available. Press office work is only one of the wide range of duties undertaken by the Information Officer Group, which is also responsible for general Government publicity, recruitment advertising, exhibitions and making films. It is not possible to identify without disproportionate cost the number of information officers performing particular duties.

Department 1st May 1979 1st July 1979
Ministry of Defence 142 145
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food 13 12
Department of Education and Science 21 21
Department of Employment Group 87 89
Foreign and Commonwealth Office — —
Department of Health and Social Security 19 19
Department of the Environment 69 67
Home Office 22 22
Department of Trade 117 118
Civil Service Department 11 9
Prime Minister's Office 3 3

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has no staff in the Information Officer Group. Press officers are members of the Diplomatic Service grades 4–9 who serve in this capacity as part of a normal diplomatic career, particularly overseas. Some 55 to 60 are currently engaged in this type of work. Figures for the Department of Trade include some of the information officers transferred during May from the Department of Prices and Consumer Protection.

Lord MURRAY of GRAVESEND

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many Press officers are now employed in all Government Departments and how this number compares with that on 1st May 1979.

Lord SOAMES

The number of staff in post in the Information Officer Group on 1st July 1979, the latest date for which figures are available, was 1292. On 1st May 1979 the number was 1290.

Press office work is only one of the wide range of duties undertaken by the Information Officer Group, which is also responsible for general Government publicity, recruitment advertising, exhibitions and making films. It is not possible to identify without disproportionate cost the number of information officers performing particular duties.