Finance Division
Room E5.20
Castle Buildings
Stormont Estate
BELFAST
BT4 3SR
Email: rff.feedback@executiveoffice -ni.gov.uk
Mr Brian Donaldson
Your Ref: Special Advisors Wage
Bill
request-704249-
Our Ref:
TEO / 2020 - 0086
xxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
Date:
18 December 2020
Dear Mr Donaldson
Freedom of Information Act 2000
I refer to your request which we received on 6 November 2020 for information relating
to the wages bill for Special Advisors within The Executive Office (TEO). I wish to take
this opportunity to apologise for the delay in this response.
TEO has now completed its search for this information and wish to advise you that
some of this information cannot be disclosed.
A copy of the information which can be disclosed is provided in Annex A.
Some information you have requested is being withheld as it is exempt under section
22(1) of the Freedom of Information Act. Section 22(1) protects information intended
for future publication. Section 22 is a qualified exemption and I have considered
whether the balance of the public interest favours maintaining the exemption in section
22(1) or disclosing the information. Some of the information requested will be
published as soon as possible and will be accessible here:-
https://www.finance-
ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/dfp/List%20of%20Special%20Advisers.pdf
The Department recognises there is a general public interest in disclosure and the fact
that openness in government may increase public trust in and engagement with the
government. However the planned release of checked and audited information in order
to properly inform the public should not be prejudiced by premature release. In the
light of this the balance of public interest is in favour of the temporary withholding of
this information.
If you are unhappy with the level of service you have received in relation to our handling
of this request, you may ask for an internal review within two calendar months of the
date of this letter. You should contact –
Head of Executive and Central Advisory Division
Room SD 24
Stormont Castle
Stormont Estate
BELFAST
BT4 3ST
Tel -
028 90 378149
Email -
xxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx
In order to assist a thorough review, it would be helpful if you set out any particular
grounds for complaint.
If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you then have the right
to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. The Information
Commissioner can be contacted at –
Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
WILMSLOW
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
The Information Commissioner will not investigate a complaint unless the internal
review procedure outlined above has been completed.
The supply of information in response to a freedom of information request does not
confer an automatic right to re-use the information. Under UK copyright law you can
use any information supplied for the purposes of private study and non-commercial
research without requiring permission. Similarly, information supplied can also be re-
used for the purposes of news reporting. An exception to this is photographs.
For other forms of re-use, for example publishing the information, you would need the
permission of the organisation or person who owns the copyright. In the case of
information produced by government departments and agencies you can re-use the
information under the Open Government Licence. For information about this please
see
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/2/. If, however, the copyright is identified as belonging to somebody else, you will need to
apply for permission. For information about how to obtain permission from a third party,
please go to Intel ectual Property Office’s website at
http://www.ipo.gov.uk/types/copy/c-other.htm
Please contact me if you have any queries about this letter, remembering to quote the
reference number above in any future communications.
Yours sincerely
Neelia Lloyd
Annex A
TEO / 2020-0086
Request:
1. Can you confirm the Special advisor wages for both parties in 2019 and the
projected wage forecast for 2020 and 2021?
2. A list of current special advisors and wages as well please.
Response:
In response to question 1, there were no Special Advisors in the financial year 2018/19.
The total projected salary cost for TEO Special Advisors is estimated to be £647,000
(including employer’s national insurance and pension contributions) for 2020/21. We
are unable to provide the projected salary cost for 2021/22 at this stage.
In response to question 2, there are currently 7 Special Advisors in post.
