Their specific responsibilities are as follows: Communications Name Role Appointed Kevin Pringle Head of Communications and Political Spokesperson Strategic communications across all portfolios 26 May 2011 Stuart Nicolson Deputy Head of Communications and Political Spokesperson 26 May 2011 Malcolm Fleming Communications Special Adviser (special responsibility for forward planning, social media and media management) Policy and communications advice on international development 25 July 2011 John MacInnes Communications Special Adviser (special responsibility for the constitution) 3 June 2011 Support to First Minister, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Parliamentary Business and Government Strategy Name Role Appointed Colin Pyle Responsible for the First Minister’s operations, strategic priorities and business programme in government First Minister’s senior intermediary with key internal and external stakeholders 9 December 2011 Geoff Aberdein Principal staff officer responsible for co-ordination of the Special Adviser team Lead on FMQs and contributor to FM’s keynote speeches Support for Government Strategy and constitutional issues Policy advice on Commonwealth Games and Sport 26 May 2011 Noel Dolan Support to the Deputy First Minister Policy advice on Health, Wellbeing and the Cities Strategy 26 May 2011 Strategy and Policy Advice Name Role Appointed Alex Bell Head of Policy Research and Strategy Policy advice on the Constitution, UK Relations and External Affairs 26 May 2011 Stephen Gethins International outreach Policy Advice on Energy, Rural Affairs and the Environment and the Infrastructure and Capital Investment portfolio, apart from Transport 26 May 2011 David Hutchison Policy Advice on Education, Lifelong Learning, Culture and Youth Employment 8 June 2011 Liz Lloyd Policy Advice on Transport, Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth 30 January 2012 John McFarlane Policy Advice on Justice and Parliamentary Business 26 May 2011 The current special adviser pay bands and ranges and the number of special advisers within each pay band are: Pay Band Pay Range Number in Pay Band 1 £39,445 – £52,904 6 2 £51,041 - £67,709 2 3 £65,017 - £83,963 4 3 (premium) £83,549 - £100,942 0 4 £86,965 - £104,462 0 Whether or not any of the special advisers receives remuneration from other sources is considered personal information, release of this information would be considered a breach of data protection principles.