Written question asked by Grant Shapps (Conservative) on Wednesday, 6 January 2010, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 11 January 2010. It was answered by Sarah McCarthy-Fry (Labour) on Tuesday, 23 March 2010 on behalf of the Treasury.

Departmental Information Officers

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 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 such staff was in each such year.

Answer: The number of full-time equivalent press officers employed by HM Treasury is nine. In addition HM Treasury employs 22 staff working directly on publishing, digital, internal communications and strategic communications. Information on the costs for each year could be provided only at disproportionate cost.For information on press officers for the previous five years I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answers given to the hon. Member for Tatton (Mr. Osborne) on 11 January 2005, Official Report, column 445W, the hon. Member for Leicester, East (Keith Vaz) on 5 June 2006, Official Report, column 177W, the hon. Member for Fareham (Mr. Hoban) on 8 October 2007, Official Report, column 213W, the hon. Member for Taunton (Mr. Browne) on 21 February 2008, Official Report, column 939W and the hon. Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr. Hammond) on 19 June 2009, Official Report, 546W.Previous information on communication staff is not available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Secondary information