Question reference: S5W-36009
- Asked by: George Adam, MSP for Paisley, Scottish National Party
- Date lodged: 11 March 2021
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Current status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Graeme Dey on 24 March 2021
Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide the names of each Special Adviser, broken down by (a) responsibility and (b) pay band, and what the total cost of employing special advisers was in 2019-20.
Answer
Special Advisers are appointed in accordance with Part 1 of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010 by the First Minister as a Special Adviser for the purpose of providing assistance to the Scottish Ministers.
As at 31 January 2021 there were 14 Special Advisers as shown in the following table:
Name | Role |
Katy Bowman | Special Adviser Culture, Tourism and External Affairs. Veterans. Policy support to the Chief of Staff. Support for the First Minister and the First Minister's Private Office. Outreach and stakeholder engagement. |
Jeanette Campbell | Special Adviser Social Security. Equalities and Huma Rights. Communities. |
Ewan Crawford | Senior Special Adviser Europe and Constitutional issues. Government strategy. Coronavirus legislation. |
Leanne Dobson | Special Adviser Economy recovery and renewal programme. Programme for Government. Employment, skills and fair work. Innovation. |
Kate Higgins | Special Adviser Rural Economy & Connectivity. Trade and exports. Retail. European Structural Funds. |
Davie Hutchison | Special Adviser Health & Sport. Broadcasting. First Minister Questions. |
Ross Ingebristen | Deputy Political Spokesperson for the First Minister Strategic communications planning. First Minister's Questions. |
Liz Lloyd | Chief of Staff to the First Minister First Minister's Strategic Programme in Government including Inter-governmental relations. Co-ordination of the Special Adviser team. |
John MacInnes | Special Adviser Political Research. Support for First Minister' Questions and parliamentary debates. Support to Communications and Policy Special Advisers. |
Mairi McAllan * | Special Adviser Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform. Renewables. Planning. |
Colin McAllister | Head of Policy Programme for Government. First Minister's Questions. Senior Special Adviser to the Deputy First Minister. Routemap out of lockdown. |
Callum McCaig | Special Adviser Finance. Local Government. Energy (excluding renewables). Infrastructure. Scottish National Investment Bank. Fintech. |
John McFarlane | Special Adviser Justice. Transport. Parliamentary Business and Parliamentary liaison. |
Stuart Nicolson | Head of Communications Senior Political Spokesperson for the First Minister. Strategic communications. |
The current Pay Bands and Pay Ranges are as follows:
Pay Band | Pay Range (£) | Number of SpAds in Band |
1 | £41,442 - £55,582 | 1 |
2 | £55,583 - £68,307 | 7 |
3 | £68,308 - £91,336 | 5 |
3 (premium) | £90,565 - £104,542 | 0 |
4 | £90,565 - £108,062 | 1 |
* Mairi McAllan resigned as a Special Adviser with effect from 5 March 2021.
The total cost of Special Advisers employed during the financial year 2019-20 was £1,310,367. Total cost includes all salary costs, employer NI, and employer pension contributions. The level of employer NI and pension contribution is not a matter for the Scottish Government.
The cost of Special Advisers during 2019-20 was based on the following Pay Bands and Pay Ranges:
Pay Band | Pay Range (£) | Number of SpAds in Band |
1 | £39,445 - £52,904 | 3 |
2 | £52,905 - £65,016 | 6 |
3 | £65,017 - £86,964 | 6 |
3 (premium) | £86,965 - £100,942 | 0 |
4 | £86,965 - £104,462 | 1 |