asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the number of administrative staff employed by the Lothian area health board at the latest convenient date; and what was the comparable figure for administrative staff employed by the preceding health authorities at 1st January 1974.

The number of administrative and clerical staff employed by the Lothian Health Board at 30th June 1975 was 1,633. The comparable figure for 1st January 1974 is not readily available; but at 30th September 1973 there were 1,809 administrative and clerical staff employed in the same area by the former health authorities, including 242 headquarters staff of the South-Eastern Regional Hospital Board, whose responsibilities extended to areas for which the Fife and Borders Health Boards are now responsible.