HC Deb 12 March 2004 vol 418 cc1760-1W
Matthew Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many staff are employed in the Department to work in the communications field, broken down by(a) Government Information and Communication Service staff and (b) other staff, broken down by (i) press officers, (ii) special advisers and (iii) others. [158169]

Alun Michael

There are 60 staff employed in the Communications Directorate of the Department as professional communicators, 41 of which are members of the Government Information and Communications Service.

The Directorate has 21 Press Officers. The remainder of the staff are employed in marketing, internal communications, new media, strategic planning publications and print.

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.

The number of staff who work in the communications field across the Department could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Matthew Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the total expenditure on communications for the Department has been in 2003–04, broken down by expenditure on (a) Government Information and Communications Service staff and (b) other staff, broken down by (i) press officers.(ii) special advisers and (iii) others.[158201]

Alun Michael

Information on expenditure is not kept in the categories requested in the question and could only be assembled at disproportionate cost.

The total cost of staff and related expenditure for Defra Communications Directorate for 2003–04 is estimated to be £5.2 million. This includes the cost of staff in both communications professional grades and other categories. Within this figure the cost for operating the Press Office is estimated to be 1.5 million for the year.

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.