§ Norman BakerTo ask the Prime Minister what reasons underlie the increase in staff employed by his Office between 1998 and 2002. [108948]
§ The Prime MinisterThe main changes to my office are outlined in the answer I gave the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Laws) on 25 March 2003,Official Report, columns 125–27W.
The number of staff has increased in response to the changes made following the June 2001 election, as outlined in the press notice which I placed in the Library of the House at the time, and in order to cover additional pressures on my office which include operational matters and dealing with more correspondence, over one million letters over the last year alone.