§ Mr. BurnsTo ask the Prime Minister how many special advisers there were at No. 10 Downing street; and what their salaries were in each of the last five years. [46958]
11W
§ The Prime MinisterThere are 27 special advisers in my office.
Details of individual special adviser salaries within Departments are not given in order to protect the privacy of the individual concerned. The total cost of special advisers, including pensions and salaries, for the years 1997–98 to 2000–01 is as follows:
Year Cost (£ million) 1997–98 2.6 1998–99 3.5 1999–2000 4.0 2000–01 4.4 I have already announced the introduction of a revised pay system for special advisers based on individual job evaluation. The process of evaluation is under way. The cost for the years 2001–02 will be provided once the process is complete.
§ Mr. BurnsTo ask the Prime Minister how many times special advisers have accompanied him on overseas visits in each of the last five years; which countries were visited; and what the total cost of each individual visit was. [47148]
§ The Prime MinisterInformation on the number of officials accompanying me on overseas visits is included in the detailed list of Cabinet Ministers' visits overseas and information on expenditure by all Ministers on travel overseas. Lists of overseas visits undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing more than £500 during the period 2 May 1997 to 31 March 2001 were placed in the Library of the House and published in theOfficial Reporton 17 June 1999, columns 196–97W; on 28 July 2000, column 969W; and on 20 July 2001, column 467W. The list for the period 1 April 2001 to 31 March 2002 will be published as soon as possible after the end of the current financial year.