HC Deb 23 March 2004 vol 419 cc707-8W
Matthew Taylor

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) what the total expenditure on communications for the Office 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; [158158]

(2) how many staff are employed in the Office 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.[158172]

Mr. Alexander

Communication is embedded in Government policy development and delivery and not simply an end function of departmental press officers.

Within the Cabinet Office there are two specific units who deal with communications and are largely staffed by GICS members—the Communications Group (CG) and the GICS Centre.

CG provides advice and services on press and media relations, the internet and other electronic communication; internal communication; marketing and publications; and editorial. CG currently employs 41 staff, 7.5 of whom work in the press office supporting five Ministers. CG budget for this year is £3,615,100. This breaks down to £1,736,746 staff, £917,554 running costs and £960,800 departmental communication activity.

The GICS Centre is responsible for cross-departmental and emergency communications and activity including the Government News Network (GNN), and the News Co-ordination Unit (NCC) and the Media Monitoring Unit (MMU). It is also responsible for GICS corporate and HR policy matters. The budget for the GICS centre for 2003–04 was £2.458 million. The GICS Centre currently has 170 staff of whom 130 are part of the GNN, which has offices in London and also regionally across the UK. The GNN operates on a repayment basis charging Departments for the services it provides.

Communications staff across Whitehall on short-term secondment operate the NCC on an ad hoc basis when it is activated. The MMU currently has 15 full time staff. The MMU is self-financing operating on a subscription charge to the Government Departments that it serves.

There is one special adviser appointed to the Minister without Portfolio (MWP). The special adviser does not work as part of the Cabinet Office CG but may in the course of his duties as set out in the Special Adviser's Code of Conduct, advice the MWP on communications issues.