HC Deb 20 March 1969 vol 780 cc719-21
15. Mr. Gordon Campbell

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on when he now expects the Commission on the Constitution to start its work.

24. Mr. Edward M. Taylor

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Commission on the Con stitution will commence its work.

Mr. Merlyn Rees

My right hon. Friend hopes that the Commission will start its work within the next few weeks

Mr. Campbell

Can the hon. Gentleman explain why more than five months have passed since the Government announced the setting up of this Commission and why, since then, nothing has happened except the appointment of a chairman? Is he aware that, during this period, the Constitutional Committee on Scotland, with my right hon. Friend the Member for Kinross and West Perthshire (Sir Alec Douglas-Home) in the chair, has been hard at work and getting on with its job?

Mr. Rees

That Commission which the Conservative Party set up is at a much lower level than the one which the Government are setting up. This is a high-level Commission. It is not just a matter of thinking up a number of people to sit round a table. This is important work which will last a large number of years; in other words, it is not party political.

Mr. Taylor

Does not this show appalling complacency, in that six months will have passed before any work has been done? Is not the Government's lack of success in hawking round places on this Commission due to the fact that it is now crystal clear that the Government will be out of office before any report can be produced?

Mr. Rees

This Commission will make deep investigations. It is not intended for the sort of thing that the hon. Member for Glasgow, Cathcart (Mr. Edward M. Taylor) is good at—writing a letter to the newspapers. This is real stuff, and it takes time.

Mr. Emrys Hughes

When will this slow-moving constitutional elephant ever get anywhere? In view of the fact that my hon. Friend says that its work will last a number of years, when will it arrive at any conclusions about Scotland?

Mr. Rees

I have answered the question. It will be set up very shortly.

Mr. Emrys Hughes

When will it do anything?

Mr. Rees

It will consider, in the sort of way that my hon. Friend is good at, all the various points which have to be taken into account.

Mr. Hogg

While not entering into competition about whether this Commission, when it exists, will be real stuff, will the hon. Gentleman realise that some of us are very much dismayed to know that it will in advance be committed for several years? Cannot we expect some mouse to emerge from this monkey in a shorter period of time?

Mr. Rees

I cannot compete with the length of time that it requires to get results in the sense in which the right hon. and learned Gentleman puts it. They are important matters for many people, especially those on the periphery of this Kingdom. They should be considered and, taking into account all the facts and all the people who will take a part in it, five months is not too long to prepare for this sort of thing.