§ Mr. Hordernasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the number of information officers, together with the number of supporting staff, in his Department in each of the last five years.
§ Mr. HeseltineThe number of staff working in, and supporting members of, the information officer group in my Department—including the Property Services Agency, the Building Research Station and the Fire Research Station—has been as follows:
Information group Support staff Total January 1975 91 73 164 January 1976 94 68 162 January 1977 66 40 106 January 1978 55 39 94 January 1979 56 38 94 January 1980 52 34 86 Besides press officers, the information officer group includes specialists in exhibitions, films, publications, advertising 367W and editorial work. From 1970 to September 1976, the Department included what is now the Department of Transport; and since September 1976 it has provided a common service to the Ministry of Transport in relation to films, publications, exhibitions, together with a daily press cutting service.
The reduction of 56 in the total number of staff in 1977 reflects the transfer to the Ministry of Transport of 30 staff concerned with press office and advertising work and a saving of a further 26 staff as a result of reorganisation.