Cost relating to Ministerial roles for Green MSPs: FOI release

Information requested

It is about the SNP Green Coalition and the cost to the British Taxpayer. It would be normal have two jobs out when two jobs are added to the costs of government but it seems in this case two jobs have been added …. Which adds to the costs of government.

So my simple questions are
1 What is the total costs of adding two ministerial jobs year on year?

2 From what Budget are these extra costs taken?

3 What is the cost of their new staff to fulfill their new duties including secretarial aides and other costs of their portfolios?

4 What is their allocated Budget to be spent?

5 Where are the overlaps and potential conflicts with the portfolios of other Ministers?

6 Will both have dedicated chauffeur driven cars at their disposal for their ministerial duties and at what projected cost per annum

Response

1. Ministers' salaries and pensions are the responsibility of the Scottish Parliament, and information regarding salaries are publicly available here: MSP salaries | Scottish Parliament Website. You can request further information on this from Scottish Parliament via this link Requesting information | Scottish Parliament Website. Ministers are supported by a Private Secretary and an Assistant Private secretary. For two Ministers the average staff costs for these four staff (which includes salary and pensions) total: £179,676 Per annum.

2.  As noted above, Scottish Parliament meet MSP and Ministerial salaries. Staff costs for Private Offices are supported by the Ministerial Private Offices Division allocated budget.

3. The average staff costs for the additional Private Office staff to support the two recent appointments is shown above. The Portfolio responsibilities are supported by existing staff within Directorates and Divisions within Scottish Government.

4. Ministerial Offices are not allocated an individual budget. All Ministerial Offices are supported from the overall Ministerial Private Offices Division budget.

5. Information on Ministerial Portfolio responsibilities is publicly available on the Scottish Government website: Cabinet and Ministers - gov.scot (www.gov.scot). 

6. All Ministers are able to make use of the Government Car Service. Individual Ministers do not have dedicated drivers. Cars and other forms of transport are used by Ministers to support official business. The Government Car Service has a single budget allocation to provide a service for all Ministers, no costs are profiled for individual Ministers.

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