HC Deb 26 July 1990 vol 177 cc583-4W
Mr. Cryer

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland 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. Rifkind

Two special advisers, Mr. Graeme Carter and Mr. Alan Young, are employed in the Scottish Office to advise Ministers on political matters. They are employed and paid directly by my Department. It is not our practice to reveal salaries of individual advisers as they are individually negotiated in relation to previous outside earnings and are, therefore, confidential. Expenses are payable to them at the normal civil service rates.

There are no public relations advisers on the staffing strength of the Scottish Office either paid directly or on secondment from another organisation.

In respect of the privatisation of the electricity supply industry, two public relations companies are retained by the Department jointly with the two Scottish electricity companies to provide marketing public relations advice —PR Consultants Scotland and Citigate Communications Ltd.. Details of the contracts are commercially confidential.