§ Mr. Gowasked the Minister for the Civil Service (1) which of the 29 special advisers to Ministers have not been positively vetted for the purposes of the Official Secrets Act;
(2) whether it is the practice, before Ministers appoint special advisers, for such persons to be vetted for the purposes of the Official Secrets Act.
§ Mr. Charles R. MorrisSpecial Advisers are subject to the Official Secrets 361W Acts in the same way as are other civil servants. Positive vetting is part of the Government's security procedures and is not related to the Official Secrets Acts.
§ Mr. Gowasked the Minister for the Civil Service how many of the remaining 28 special advisers receive a salary in excess of the £14,000 a year paid to Professor Lord Kaldor, special adviser to the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
§ Mr. Charles R. MorrisNone.
§ Mr. Gowasked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will list the special advisers to each Minister.
§ Mr. Charles R. MorrisI refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Northampton, North (Ms. Colquhoun) on 14th January.—[Vol. 903, c. 171.] There have been no changes since that date.