To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the cost to his Department of press office staff other than press officers has been in each year since 1997. (283068)

All press office staff are press officers with the exception of speech writers. In the period since the Department was created in May 2006, there has been one speechwriter post at pay band 7 (grade 6) and one speechwriter post at pay band 6 (grade 7) in press office. The 2008-09 pay ranges are £43,836 to £57,110 for pay band 7 and £54,018 to £70,375 for pay band 6. Press office staff in the predecessor Department, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, were press officers.