To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) BlackBerrys and (b) other mobile telephones have been provided to (i) Ministers, (ii) special advisers and (iii) civil servants in his Department in each year since 2005. (268294)

The number of BlackBerrys and mobile telephones provided in each year since 2005 is shown in the following table. It covers the combined number of devices provided to Ministers, special advisers, civil servants and members of the armed forces.

In the last year two BlackBerrys and one mobile telephone were provided to Ministers, and two BlackBerrys and one mobile telephone to special advisers. It has not been possible to separate further the numbers provided to each group.