§ Mr. Peter Robinsonasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list, by Government Departments, the number of press officers employed in Northern Ireland; and what was the cost of these officers over the last year.
§ Mr. ButlerIn the Departments for which the Secretary of State is responsible 15 staff in the professional information officer grades are employed in Northern Ireland. These officers are part of the Northern Ireland information service and comprise one director, one chief information officer, two principal information officers, nine senior information officers and two information officers.
One senior information officer is on permanent attachment to each of the Northern Ireland Departments of 88W Economic Development, Education, Environment, and Health and Social Services; the remaining officers are based in Stormont castle.
The total cost of salaries, allowances and employers' national insurance contributions for these officers in the 1983–84 financial year is estimated at £245,633.