Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many special advisers left government employment as a result of the government reshuffle; and what was the total cost of (a) severance and (b) compensation payments to those individuals.

In line with the Model Contract for Special Advisers, when a special adviser’s appointing minister leaves office special advisers’ contracts are automatically terminated.

The Model Contract states special adviser severance entitlement. The cost of severance payments is stated in the Annual Report on Special Advisers.