To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much his Department and its predecessors spent on freelance press officers in each year since 2001; and if he will make a statement. (222710)

The Department has spent the following on freelance press officers since 2001:

To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many freelance press officers his Department and its predecessors employed in each year since 2001. (222711)

The Department has employed freelance press officers between 2001 and 2008 as follows:

No Freelance Press Officers have been used since March 2008.