§ Mr. CryerTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the political advisers and public relations advisers currently employed to advise Ministers in his Department, including those persons paid by other organisations and seconded to the Government, giving in every case the source of payment, rate of salary and expenses.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkThere is only one non-civil servant employed to advise Ministers within the Ministry of Defence. He is Mr. Keith Simpson, who is special adviser to the Secretary of State for Defence. It is not our practice to reveal the salaries of individual advisers, as these are individually negotiated in relation to previous outside earnings and are therefore confidential. Mr. Simpson is entitled to normal civil service rates of travel expenses and subsistence allowances. In addition, he may be provided with secretarial assistance.
Public relations advice to Ministers in the Department is provided by the chief of public relations and his staff. There are no public relations advisers in the Ministry of Defence paid by other organisations and seconded to the Government.