§ Mr. MorganTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what general guidelines are issued for setting the salaries of personal ministerial advisers;
(2) whether the salary guidelines in connection with the appointment of ministerial personal advisers include annual uprating by reference to the retail prices index;
(3) whether he will review the guidelines for the salaries paid to personal ministerial advisers to ensure earnings as advisers do not exceed earnings in previous employment;
(4) what are the guidelines for setting salaries for Ministers' personal advisers, where those appointed were previously self-employed.
§ Mr. Ryder[holding answer 16 November 1990]: There is a pay spine for ministerial special advisers. The starting point on that spine for each adviser is assessed primarily by reference to the individual's recent normal earnings: this is taken as evidence of the "market rate". There is flexibility to go above this exceptionally if there is evidence that an individual's recent earnings have been less than his or her normal market expectation or that the individual could have expected to increase his or her remuneration in the near future if they did not accept the appointment. These guidelines apply to all advisers, including those who were previously self-employed and I have no plans to revise them. The pay spine is revalued annually in line with the general increase in civil service pay.