§ Mr. SwayneTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the cost of funding the private offices of the First Minister and the other Ministers of the Scottish Executive in the Scottish Parliament. [74980]
§ Mr. McLeish[holding answer 11 March 1999]: The number of Ministers in the Scottish Executive will not be known until after the election on 6 May 1999. However, the question of private office support for the First Minister and other Ministers is currently being considered as part of the general planning associated with devolution. No estimate of the cost of funding the private office has yet been made. The cost will be met from within the overall provision made for expenditure on administration of the Scottish Executive.