(1) How many departmental liaison officers are employed in, or were seconded to, the Minister's office and the Parliamentary Secretary's office as at 23 August 1999.

(2) (a) What are the names of the officers; (b) what are their employment classifications; and (c) what duties are they assigned, that is, to which policy areas or agencies are they allocated responsibility.

(3) What was the total cost to the department of these officers.

(1) On 23 August 1999 there were three departmental liaison officers in the Office of the Minister for Foreign Affairs, two departmental liaison officer in the Office of the Minister for Trade, and one in the office of the Parliamentary Secretary.

(2) (a), (b) and (c) The following departmental liaison officers are employed in the following ministers' office with the following classifications with the following duties/agency responsibilities:

Office of the Minister for Foreign Affairs

Natalie Kershaw APS3 Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Assistant Departmental Liaison Officer

Lucienne Manton - Exec Level 1 AusAID Liaison Officer

Ann Harrap Exec Level 1 - Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Departmental Liaison Officer

Office of the Minister for Trade

Tim Yeend Exec Level 2 - Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Departmental Liaison Officer

Mark Wood Exec Level 1 - Austrade Liaison Officer

Office of the Parliamentary Secretary

Kristen Pratt Exec Level 1 - AusAID Liaison Officer

(3) The total cost of these officers for the period 21 October 1998, being the date on which the second Howard ministry was sworn in, to 23 August 1999, was as follows:

. Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade $229,922

. AusAID $151,716

. Austrade $87,275