§ Mr. LawsTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many press officers were employed in her Department in each year from 1990–91 to 2003–04; what the total cost was in each year; and if she will make a statement. [162852]
§ Alun MichaelDefra was not set up until June 2001. Figures relating to numbers of press officers employed by the organisations whose functions were subsumed into the new department would not correspond accurately to the distribution and scope of the present work areas.
The number of press officers employed at Defra has been as follows:
Number June 2001 22 June 2002 22 June 2003 22 As at 18 March 2004 19