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<p>Special advisers are employed by the department to which they were appointed to
assist their minister, as such the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s special advisers
are employed by HM Treasury; the administration of special advisers is however overseen
by the Cabinet Office.</p><p>Under paragraph 14b of the Model Contract for Special
Advisers, a special adviser’s employment is automatically terminated when their appointing
minister ceases to hold the ministerial office to which they were appointed to assist
them. Paragraph 14c of the Model Contract details the conditions that apply should
a special adviser’s employment end, including eligibility for any severance payments.
Paragraph 14c of the Model Contract also sets out that special advisers who are later
re-appointed to government must repay their severance pay, less the amount of salary
they would have been paid had they been employed during the period between their termination
and their re-appointment.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>These arrangements have been
in place under successive administrations.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Pursuant
to the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010 and as part of the government’s
policy on open data and transparency, the Cabinet Office routinely publishes an annual
report on the numbers and costs of special advisers. The total cost of exit packages,
including severance payments, for special advisers are published annually.</p><p>
</p><p><strong> </strong></p>
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