§ Matthew TaylorTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) how many staff are employed in the Department to work in the communications field, broken down by(a) Government Information Ind Communication Service staff and (b) other staff, broken down by (i) press officers, (ii) special advisers and (iii) others; [158154]
(2) what the total expenditure on communications for the Department has been in 2003–04, broken down by expenditure on (a) Government Information and Communication Service staff and (b) other staff, broken down by (i) press officers, (ii) special advisers and (iii) others. [158191]
§ Yvette CooperAs at 1 March 2004 there were 51 GICS staff and 21 administrative staff employed in the Directorate of Communications for the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. Of these, 23 are press officers and 49 provide a range of communications and administrative support functions. From 1 April 2003 to 29 February 2004 the pay cost of these staff was £2.5 million, of which £0.96 million was for press officers.
There are four GICS staff employed within line divisions of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister who perform a range of communication functions, as well as a small number of non-GICS staff whose role may encompass a proportion of communications related work. Detailed information on the latter is not maintained centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
The Special Advisers' Code of Conduct sets out the sort of work a special adviser may undertake on behalf of their Minister. This includes communications activity. Details of the costs of Special Advisers are given on an annual basis. Information for the financial year 2003–04 will be published in due course.