Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many staff in ministerial offices in his Department were appointed from (a) the Civil Service and (b) other bodies (i) between May 2005 and May 2010 and (ii) since May 2010.

There are currently 29 posts in the Ministry of Defence Ministerial offices filled by civil servants, military personnel and Special Advisers. There is a high turnover in these posts and in view of the significant number of staff who would have worked in Ministerial offices over the years specified, the information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.