§ Mr. Freudasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in the Official Report the number and the average cost of information officers employed by his Department at the beginning of each of the last four years.
§ Mr. WhitelawThe number and cost of information officer group staff employed by my Department in providing information to the press and broadcasting organisations and on publicity work at the beginning of each of the last four years were as follows:
Staff in post Estimated annual salary cost £ 1976 24 159,000 1977 27 188,000 1978 25 191,000 1979 26 237,000 The figures for 1 January 1980 were 26 and £260,000.