Boris Johnson is facing criticism after it emerged the number of special advisers employed by Downing Street has increased by nearly 20 per cent on last year.

The details set out in the Cabinet Office’s annual report on political advisers – known in Whitehall as “SpAds” – also shows the prime minister’s influential adviser, Dominic Cummings, receives almost £100,000 a year.

The transparency data details that Mr Johnson has appointed 44 special advisers in Downing Street – a 19 per cent increase on former Tory leader Theresa May, who had 37 advisers in post last year.

Across all government departments, there are now 108 advisers, compared with 99 in December 2018 – a nine per cent increase.

The data also provides the pay bands of those earning above £70,000 and includes some of the prime minister most senior advisers, including Mr Cummings, who is paid between £95,000 and £99,999.

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The prime minister’s highest paid advisers are Lee Cain, the director of communications, Sir Ed Lister, who was Mr Johnson’s former chief-of-staff at City Hall, and policy chief Munira Mirza, who are all paid between £140,000 and £145,000.

Director of parliamentary affairs Nikki Da Costa alongside Europe adviser David Frost are both paid between £125,000 and £129,999.

The data adds that the total cost of special advisers in the financial year to March 2019, before Mr Johnson became prime minister, totalled £9.6m. The figures for the previous year was £8.9m.

The advisers provide political advice to the prime minister and senior ministers in departments across government, are directly appointed by Mr Johnson, and are separate to impartial civil servants.

Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran said: “When Conservative ministers cut benefits and school funding while spending more taxpayers’ money on bag-carriers for themselves, it’s clear they’ve got their priorities wrong.

“Government ministers have an entire civil service at their disposal. Do they really need more than 100 SpAds as well, some of whom are paid more than four times the average wage?”.

“Given the destructive and chaotic decisions being taken by this Conservative government, you have to ask if these advisers are really providing value for money”.

A government spokesperson said: “Special advisers help ensure the government delivers on its election promises to the public like investing in the NHS and getting Brexit done. They protect the integrity and impartiality of the civil service by clearly separating out the provision of political advice to ministers.