asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the current numbers of staff, of the rank of principal and above, working full time in the constitutional section of the Scottish Office.

As I explained in reply to the hon. Member on 18th November 1974—[Vol. 881, c. 333]—the Scottish Office has a special co-ordinating administrative division for devolution matters under an assistant secretary. One of the two branches in the division is headed by a principal. The total strength of the division is now nine full-time staff.