To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many full-time equivalent staff of each grade are employed by his Department to assist special advisers. (321131)

Two full-time and one 0.4 full-time equivalent civil servants support the special advisers in the offices of the Secretary of State and the Minister for Housing. All three civil servants provide support of a non-political nature, in accordance with the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers. They also provide support to Ministers' private offices.