Stormont Spads to come under greater scrutiny and have their salaries capped after RHI affair
THE work carried out by special advisers at Stormont will be scrutinised to a much greater extent, while their maximum salary will also be reduced.
Finance Minister Conor Murphy made the changes in an updated code of conduct for the special advisers (Spads).
The updated code includes an £85,000 cap on the maximum salary a Spad can receive — a reduction from £91,809.
It means that a Spad cannot be paid more than a Minister.
The changes come after the inquiry into the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme heard concerns around how, during the last Assembly, some special advisers behaved and what influence they wielded.
The Executive is yet to agree on what the disciplinary procedures may be for those Spads who are in breach of the new code.
TUV leader Jim Allister said that while he agrees with the majority of the content that has been changed within the code of conduct, he believes it must be backed up by legislation to give it “bite”.
There were 16 Spads during the last Assembly before its collapse in 2017, including eight within the Executive Office.
The new code was agreed by the Executive yesterday morning ahead of the appointment of Spads later this week.
Salaries in three broad paybands — up to £54,999; £55,000 to £69,000 and £70,000 to £85,000 — will be set for Spads independently by Department of Finance officials, depending of the nature of the work and their experience.
The new code makes it clear that Ministers are responsible for the appointment, conduct and discipline of Spads and that they can review and comment on — but not “change, suppress or supplant” — advice given to Ministers by civil servants.
In order to employ a Spad, a Minister must tell the Civil Service who they wish to employ but that person does not need to be an expert in the work of the Department.
The code will also require
Spads to ensure no conflicts of interest arise or could be perceived to arise; declare details of gifts, hospitality and meetings with external organisations; keep good records; use official email accounts and serve the Executive as a whole, as well as their appointing Minister.
Information will also be published annually about the number and cost of Spads, including
salaries and any severance payments.
In a statement, Mr Murphy said Spads are a “critical part of the team” supporting Ministers.
“Special advisers should be subject to, and adhere to, the high standards expected of those in public life,” stated the Sinn Fein MLA.
“Given the public’s legitimate concerns in this regard I have moved quickly to produce
and agree strengthened rules.
“If public confidence in these institutions is to be rebuilt it is essential that these rules and the values that underpin them are put into practice.”
Responding to Mr Murphy’s comments, Mr Allister (left) said that he was disappointed the Finance Minister did not make his statement before Stormont’s chamber where he could have been questioned by MLAs.
The TUV MLA added that his pending Bill will turn the intent of the code into reality through legislation.
“One area where I am disappointed
with the Minister’s statement is the retreat which it makes in the Code for Appointment,” said Mr Allister.
“The requirement for the appointing Minister to consider a widely based pool of candidates has been removed.
“This means the non-transparent DUP approach, as enunciated by Jonathan Bell to the RHI inquiry, namely that the party told him who his adviser would be, is validated.
“This is a retrograde step which aids, not addresses, the party hack culture attending Spad appointments.”