In attempting to divert attention from the obviously pro-active, politically motivated, intervention by the Permanent Secretary of the Treasury in the debate on the currency following Scottish independence, Graeme Crawford seeks to impugn the reputation and integrity of Scottish Government civil servants by implying that they engage in, or condone, "politicisation" in the performance of their duties.

While Mr Crawford might cavil at the time and associated financial input that was required of civil servants in the production and subsequent distribution of the best-selling White Paper, Scotland's Future, the officials involved were simply doing what they have always done: implementing the policies, commitments and manifesto pledges of the democratically elected, government of the day.

I worked in the Scottish Office/Executive/Government for nigh on 40 years and often throughout that lengthy period I had to assist with the development and implementation of certain government policies that I personally found ­disagreeable, with the Poll Tax being pre-eminently anathema. But that was the nature of the job and the choice was either to accept the situation and get on with it or to find another career.

Brian McGarry

Inverkeithing