HC Deb 16 September 2004 vol 424 cc1672-3WS
Dr. Cable

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the salary costs to the Department were for employees working in public relations and publicity in each year since 1997. [183853]

Alun Michael

Defra was formed in June 2001. Figures on expenditure on public relations and publicity by all sections of Defra are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However the salary costs for staff employed on the full range of communications activities by the Communications Directorate of the Department since its formation in June 2001 were:

Month £million
2001–02 10 2.5
2002–03 12 4.1
2003–04 12 3.5