§ Mrs. Winifred Ewingasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the number of persons employed by the Scottish Information Service and in what capacities; and if he will list the functions of the service and the cost of operating it in the last year for which statistics are available.
§ Mr. William RossThe number of persons employed in the Scottish Information Office at the present time is 38. Staff gradings are:
(a) Professional (Government Information Officer Class) Director … 1 Deputy Director … 1 Principal Information Officers … 3 Senior Information Officers … 6 Information Officers … 8 Assistant Information Officers … 4 … 23 (b) Executive/Clerical Higher Executive Officers … 2 Executive Officers … 5 Clerical Officers … 5 Clerical Assistants … 3 … 15 The functions of the Scottish Information Office are (a) to provide information and publicity services for the Depart- 428W ments of the Secretary of State for Scotland and for certain United Kingdom Departments located in Scotland through the Press, radio and television, including the parliamentary Press; (b) to act as agent in Scotland for the Central Office of Information in connection with exhibitions, campaigns, visits sponsored by Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Central Office of Information. Royal and State visits and overseas publicity services.
The cost of operating the service in 1974–75, excluding charges for accommodation, heating, lighting, etc., was £603,600.