Departmental Information Officers

Mr. Philip Hammond
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the cost to his Department was of employing press and media officers in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and what the cost to his Department was of employing such staff in the financial year 1996-97, expressed in real terms.

Paul Goggins
The total cost to the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) of employing press officers during 2008-09 was £579,343. No figures are available for the 1996-97 financial year.