To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the (a) job title, (b) main responsibilities, (c) Civil Service pay band and (d) annual salary of (i) Gez Sagar, (ii) Will Parkes, (iii) Peter Power, (iv) Stephen Adams and (v) Fiona Cookson are; whether each receives any payments from other sources; and whether the post filled by each was advertised externally.

holding answer 24 April 2009

Gez Sagar is a communications consultant working on a project to coordinate economic communications across Government Departments. Stephen Adams is employed on a one year fixed term contract as Strategy and Policy Adviser to the Secretary of State. Fiona Cookson has been appointed deputy head of news. Peter Power is Press Secretary to the Secretary of State seconded to the civil service on a one year fixed term from the European Commission. We do not release details of individual salaries. The EC makes good Peter Power's salary to EC level. No one else named receives payment from any other source. All have been appointed in accordance with the Civil Service (Amendment) (No 2) Order in Council 2008 which regulates recruitment into the Civil Service.

Will Parkes is not a BERR employee but is seconded into Government on a two month fixed term placement to share knowledge end expertise of the private sector.

These are all civil servant not special adviser posts.