§ Mrs. EwingTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the annual costs of the(a) salaries, (b) secretarial support and (c) accommodation and travelling expenses for his two advisers; and if he will make a statement. [25490]
§ Mr. Michael Forsyth[holding answer 16 April 1996]: I refer the hon Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Dundee, East (Mr. Brown) on 18 December 1995 Official Report, column 818. The salary levels have increased by 2.7 per cent. since that reply.
Secretarial support is provided by one secretary in London and one in Edinburgh. It is not our practice to divulge individual salaries, but the average cost of a personal secretary in the Scottish Office is £17,247— salary plus national insurance plus superannuation.
Accommodation costs are not separately identified as they form part of the overall Scottish Office charges.
The annual travel and subsistence charge for a special adviser is estimated at £9,000.