The justice secretary has said that his special advisers enjoy working for him.

Jack Straw was responding to a written question from his Conservative shadow, Dominic Grieve.

Grieve asked whether Straw's special advisers signed waivers under the European Working Time Directive.

The EWTD prevents employees being forced to work for more than 48 hours a week and it became UK law in 1998.

Workers can sign waivers to opt out of the 48 hour restriction.

Straw replied:

"I am told that working for me is pure pleasure and stress free.

"It is very generous of the hon. Gentleman to be so concerned for the welfare of my special advisers, but I can inform him that given how much they enjoy working for me, they have not felt the need to sign waivers under the European Work Time Directive."

Special advisers give political advice to ministers but are employed as civil servants.

The government employs 74 special advisers, more than a third of them in Downing Street, at a cost of nearly £6m in 2008/09.