The Welsh Government has spent £1.7m on special advisers within one year, more than double the amount from the previous year. Wales’ First Minister, Eluned Morgan, disclosed this substantial cost in a written statement to the Senedd. Special advisers, known as SpAds, provide party political counsel and support to ministers, services not appropriate from the neutral civil service. In the fiscal year 2023/24, the total expenditure on special advisers stood at £1.77m, with nearly £500,000 allocated to severance payments, marking a 112% increase from the previous total of £835,840 in 2019/20.
Following the departure of former First Minister Mark Drakeford in March, all special adviser contracts were terminated as per the standard contract. Some advisers have since been rehired, leading to a recoupment of around £189,000, reducing net severance payments to approximately £290,000. Notably, these figures do not include projections for the fiscal year 2024/25, which saw the appointment of Wales’ third first minister in a single year, with Vaughan Gething stepping down.
Baroness Morgan highlighted the role of special advisers in adding a political dimension to ministerial advice and reinforcing political impartiality within the civil service. These advisers are appointed by the first minister to provide assistance in areas where government work intersects with party matters not suitable for civil servants. Some appointments are linked to the now-defunct cooperation agreement with Plaid Cymru, with 18 special advisers during parts of the 2023/24 financial year, equivalent to 14 full-time positions.
Standard salaries for these advisers range from £57,740 to £88,130 annually, with senior special advisers earning from £75,000 to £88,130 per year. Special advisers play a crucial role in enhancing political advising within the government while maintaining the neutrality of the civil service.