§ Mr. BeithTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 11 April 2002,Official Report, column 598W, what the (a) names and (b) responsibilities are of unpaid advisers who have assisted the work of her Department since June 1997 but are not included in the Cabinet Office's annual report 'Task Forces, Ad Hoc Advisory Groups and Reviews 2000–01'. [57041]
§ Mr. Morley[holding answer 21 May 2002]: As my answer to you of 11 April made clear, Ministers in this Department have not appointed any unpaid advisers other than those accounted for in the list of task forces, reviews and other ad hoc advisory groups.
§ Mr. Andrew TurnerTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many special advisers were employed by her and her predecessor(a) between 1 May and 31 December 1997 and (b) in each year from 1998 to 2001 inclusive; and what the total amount spent on special advisers by the Department was for each of those years. [41257]
§ Mr. MorleyDEFRA was created on 8 June 2001, and has two special advisers. The number of special advisers employed by the former Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food was also two.
For special adviser costs, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Prime Minister on 10 April 2002, Official Report, column 11W.
§ Mr. BeithTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the(a) names and (b) responsibilities are of parliamentary advisers appointed to serve her Department. [56986]
§ Mr. Morley[holding answer 22 May 2002]: Ministers in this Department have made no such appointments.
898W
§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the number and expected cost to her Department of special advisers in(a) 2001–02 and (b) 2002–03. [43268]
§ Mr. MorleyThere are currently two special advisers.
For special adviser costs, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Prime Minister on 20 March 2002, Official Report, column 325W.
§ Mr. BurnsTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many times special advisers have accompanied Ministers on overseas visits in each of the last five years; which countries were visited; and what the total cost of each individual visit was. [47146]
§ Mr. Morley[holding answer 10 April 2002]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Westmorland and Lonsdale (Mr. Collins) on 10 April 2002, Official Report, column 270W.
Details of special adviser travel for the period 1 April 2001 to 31 March 2002 will be published shortly.