HC Deb 23 February 1999 vol 326 cc225-6W
Mr. Don Foster

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list(a) those units in his Department and (b) the number of departmental staff which are concerned with preparing rebuttals of allegations in the media; and what is (i) the total cost of their work, including salaries, and (ii) the number of rebuttals issued since May 1997. [71844]

Mr. Dewar

[holding answer 22 February 1999]In common with other departments, the work of press officers in my department includes responding to and correcting any misinformed or inaccurate media reporting of Government policy or activity. They are supported in this work by other officials as necessary.

This is a routine part of a Department's work and it is not separately recorded from other tasks.