Mr. Michael FosterTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many local authorities have appointed assistants to Cabinet members and given the assistants additional responsibility allowances. [112988]
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§ Mr. LeslieThe Office of the Deputy Prime Minister does not collect information from councils on the number of councillors serving as assistants to members of local authority executives, or the allowance levels paid to council members.
Local authorities may also appoint political assistants, who are employees of the council. There may be no more than three political assistants in a Local Authority. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister does not collect information from councils on these appointments, or on how they are remunerated.