Since my appointment as Minister for Defence in June 2020, I have appointed two special advisers. Both are appointed as advisers to me as Minister for Defence and also as Minister for Foreign Affairs. They are employees of the Department of Foreign Affairs and as such, their salary and expenses are administered by that Department, as is my own salary.
No expenses have been paid to me from the Department of Defence Vote to date, but a small number of claims relating to expenses incurred as Minister for Defence are currently being processed.