§ Mr. Malcolm BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the(a) salary costs and (b) other costs of special advisers in his Department in (i) 1996–97, (ii) 1997–98, (iii) 1998–99 and (iv) 1999–2000; and if he will make a statement. [69264]
§ Mr. Dewar[holding answer 8 February 1999]Special Advisers' salaries are negotiated individually within the three-band range announced to the House by my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office on 16 November 1998,Official Report, column 354. Individual salaries and pension contributions are confidential. Other costs of the Special Advisers in my Department since I took up office amounted to around £35,000 in 1997–98 and are estimated to amount to £57,000 in 1998–99. It is not possible to predict the costs for 1999–2000.