To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many (a) press officers and (b) communications staff were employed by his Department (i) in each of the last five years and (ii) on the latest date for which figures are available; and what the cost of employing these staff was in each such year. (309926)

The information requested is as follows:

(a) Press officers

The number of press officers currently at BIS is 27. This combines the press offices from the former BERR and former DIUS. The press office co-ordinates all the media handling for the Department's current 10 Ministers and the Government Chief Scientific Adviser.

The number of press officers in previous years was:

2008: 17 BERR; 13 DIUS

2007: 16 (DTI/BERR)

2006: 17 (DTI)

2005: 18 (DTI)

2004: 19 (DTI)

The total staffing costs for press office staff for the former BERR, DIUS and DTI are:

This includes staff costs for press officers and support staff working in the press office. A breakdown of costs for press officers and non press officers could be provided only at disproportionate costs.

(b) Communications staff

The total number of full time equivalent communications staff currently at BIS, excluding press officers, is 74. This figure covers staff in the central communications directorate employed in communications roles, excluding support staff, secondees and agency staff. Communications roles currently include strategy and planning, internal communications, strategic marketing, stakeholder liaison and digital communications.

Figures for the number of communications staff employed in the last five years cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate costs.