159 Mr. Nealon asked the Minister for the Marine the number of civil servants, by grade, employed in his own office, including his constituency office, and in the offices of his Minister (s) of State; and the number and titles of any non-civil servants in each of these offices. [7277/97]

I have four staff employed in my office on contract and whose salaries are shared equally with the Department of Defence, reflecting my dual ministerial responsibilities. The positions held by these staff are: programme manager, special adviser, personal secretary and personal assistant. The personal secretary and personal assistant are based in the Department of Defence. In addition, I have a private secretary, higher executive officer, who is a civil servant.

There are eight staff engaged in the Minister of State's office. Apart from the Minister of State's private secretary, a higher executive officer and one clerical assistant typist, who are civil servants, the following are employed on a non-established contract basis: one special adviser; one personal secretary; personal assistant, one clerical assistant typist and two civilian drivers.

I do not have a constituency office in the Department of the Marine, as all related matters are dealt with by my office in the Department of Defence. The Minister of State's constituency office is staffed by his personal secretary, personal assistant and one clerical assistant typist.