§ Mr. Ron DaviesTo ask the Prime Minister how many political advisers to Ministers are currently employed in the civil service; in which Departments they work; and on what grades they are paid.
§ The Prime MinisterThere are currently 26 special advisers to Ministers employed in the civil service. The number in each Department is as follows:
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Number Cabinet Office (including No. 10) 6 Department of the Environment 4 Foreign and Commonwealth Office 2 Department of Health 2 Her Majesty's Treasury 2 Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food 1 Department of Education and Science 1 Department of Energy 1 Department of Employment 1 Home Office 1 Lord President of the Council 1 Scottish Office 1 Department of Social Security 1 Department of Trade and Industry 1 Department of Transport 1 Special advisers are not graded and are not therefore paid on civil service salary scales. They are normally paid on a special advisers salary spine comprising 30 points, as follows:
Scale point Salary (inclusive) 30 54,184 29 52,100 28 50,096 27 48,924 26 47,757 25 46,264 24 44,771 23 42,731 22 41,144 21 39,563 20 37,908 19 36,239 18 34,571 17 32,909 16 30,927 15 29,667 14 28,664 13 27,666 12 26,617 11 25,660 10 24,873 9 23,771 8 22,931 7 22,185 6 21,449 5 20,697 4 19,595 3 18,925 2 18,353 1 17,280 The two most senior special advisers are paid personal salaries above the spine limit of £54,184. It is not our practice to reveal the salary of any adviser, as it is negotiated individually in relation to previous earnings and is, therefore, confidential.