§ Tim LoughtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 12 March 2002,Official Report, column 1062–63W, on press officers, why he is not able to provide cost details for press officers in 1996–97; and if his figures for press officer numbers refer to full-time working equivalents. [47528]
§ Ms Blears[holding answer 10 April 2002]: The Department's staffing cost information for the Press and Publicity Division for 1996–97 does not separately identify the cost of press office or individual press officers. This level of detail has only been available since 1997–98. The total cost of the Press and Publicity Division for 1996–97 was £2.3 million.
Press officer numbers refer to full-time working equivalents, except for 1999–2000 when two members of staff were part-time.
§ Tim LoughtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) press officers and (b) special advisers were employed by his Department in each of the years 1990–91 to 1995–96. [47529]
§ Ms Blears[holding answer 10 April 2002]: The information requested is shown in the table.
Number (a) Press officers 1990–91 11 1991–92 12 1992–93 10 1993–94 12 1994–95 12 1995–96 9 (b) Special advisers 1990–91 2 1991–92 2 1992–93 2 1993–94 1 1994–95 1 1995–96 1