§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Prime Minister (1) what internal reorganisation of staff has taken place in Downing street since June 2001; and if he will make a statement; [7162]
(2) if he will publish the staffing structures and lines of account at No. 10 Downing street consequent upon changes announced since June. [7308]
§ The Prime MinisterI announced a number of changes to my office in June designed to help achieve our commitment to the modernisation and reform in public services. These were outlined in a Downing street press notice dated 22 June 2001, a copy of which has been placed in the Library.
Jonathan Powell remains my Chief of Staff. Alastair Campbell as Director of Communications and Strategy has responsibility for the press, strategic communications and research. Anji Hunter, head of Government Relations, is responsible for relations across Government, with the devolved Administrations, and some foreign Administrations.
Within Downing street, Jeremy Heywood remains my Principal Private Secretary. He is responsible for the management and budget for all staff in No. 10 and leads the integrated Policy Directorate covering domestic policy which has been formed by the merger of the No. 10 Private Office and the Policy Unit. The European Adviser's Office is led by Sir Stephen Wall who is also head of the European Secretariat in the Cabinet Office, 1362W and the Foreign Policy Adviser's office is led by Sir David Manning who heads the Overseas and Defence Secretariat in the Cabinet Office.
I have established a Delivery Unit based in the Cabinet Office which is headed by Michael Barber to help ensure that we achieve our priority objective across the four key areas of public service: health, education, crime and transport. He will report to me under the day to day supervision of the Minister for the Cabinet Office, Lord Macdonald. Wendy Thomson is heading the Office of Public Service Reform also based in the Cabinet Office which is looking at how the Government's commitment to radical reform of the civil service and public services can be taken forward. She will report to me through the Cabinet Secretary. Geoff Mulgan is leading the Forward Strategy Unit which will undertake strategy projects at my request, working very closely with the Performance and Innovation Unit in the Cabinet Office.
§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Prime Minister if he will list the names and job titles of his personal, political and policy staffs at Downing street. [7163]
§ The Prime MinisterMy political office is staffed as follows:
Name Position Robert Hill Political Secretary Sally Dobson Assistant Political Secretary Razi Rahman Assistant Political Secretary Nita Clarke Assistant Political Secretary Note:
Plus five secretarial and administrative support staff, two of whom work on a part-time basis
The staffing and associated costs for these staff are met by the Labour Party. As has been the case under successive Administrations, marginal costs associated with the political office are met from within the overall budget for 10 Downing street.
In addition, Rachel Cowburn works from the political office in her role as liaison officer between the Government and the Labour Members of the European Parliament and is funded by them for this purpose.
For information about my policy staff, I refer my hon. Friend to my previous answer to him today.