Why study special advisers? / Ben Yong -- Special advisers and British government / Ben Yong -- Who are special advisers? / Ben Yong -- What special advisers do for ministers / David Laughrin -- Special advisers and the policy-making process / Peter Waller -- Special advisers and communications / Peter Waller -- The regulation, accountabilities and responsibilities of special advisers / Ben Yong -- The comparative experience of political staff: Westminster jurisdictions and ministerial Cabinets / Ben Yong -- Improving the performance of special advisers / Robert Hazell -- A profession comes of age / Robert Hazell -- Appendix 1. Methodology / Max Goplerud -- Appendix 2. Further work on the distribution and tenure of special advisers.