§ Mr. BurnsTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what the total cost of running the Department's press office was in(a) 1996–97 and (b) the latest year for which figures are available. [46810]
§ Mr. WillsThe Lord Chancellor's Department's communications functions were incorporated into a new group in 1998. The annual costs for arrangements before 1998 are no longer available. The total cost of press office activity for FY 2001–02 which includes indirect costs to 31 December 2001, salaries and other staff costs, and expenditure on press office services is £503,135.
This figure does not include the costs of any work undertaken in other parts of the communications group on publications, internal communications and the staff journal, the LCD website and general administration activities.