§ Mr. Michael Brownasked the Secretary of State for Defence how many press and public relations officers are currently employed in his Department; what is the total cost per annum; and what were the comparable figures for May 1979 and May 1980.
§ Mr. PattieThe number of MOD press and public relations officers working in headquarters and commands in this country and abroad is currently 103. The total cost of these personnel, based on annual salaries and employer's national insurance contributions, is approximately £1,247,000 per annum. The comparable figures for May 1979 were 104—£894,000—and for May 1980 were 101 £1,159,000.