§ 11. Mr. Dominic Grieve (Beaconsfield)If he will make a statement on the employment of special advisers in his Department. [41260]
§ The Secretary of State for Scotland (Mr. Donald Dewar)All special advisers are employed under the terms and conditions that are set out in the model contract for special advisers, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.
§ Mr. GrieveI thank the Secretary of State for that rather bland statement. Would he care to indicate how many special advisers he has and how he envisages that the role of special advisers will develop when there is a 723 devolved Parliament in Edinburgh? Will it, because it is an inclusive system, not require the use of political advisers at all?
§ Mr. DewarIt is difficult to envisage a situation in which Ministers, whether they be in this Parliament or in the Scottish Parliament, will not require advice and help in formulating policy. That is the role of special advisers. That is certainly what is done by the three special advisers whom I have in my Department. [HON. MEMBERS: "Three?"] These cries of astonishment suggest, if they are genuine, that Conservative Members are far off the pace. Those people advise me and they do it very well.
§ Mr. Ian Davidson (Glasgow, Pollok)Has the Secretary of State considered appointing a personal grooming adviser and, if so, would he make that adviser's services available to all members of the Scottish parliamentary Labour party?
§ Mr. DewarI do not believe, because I have great faith in my hon. Friend, that there is in that question any implication of criticism of my standards, although I confess that my other good and honourable friend, my hon. Friend the Member for Bolsover (Mr. Skinner), once confided to me that he thought that, apart from him, I was the worst dressed Member of the House of Commons, but, of course, since I have become a Minister, it is all different.